Sanders rejects treating American cities as a small price for war
Bernie SandersU.S. senator from Vermont
Sanders condemns what he reads as Trump treating the destruction of Los Angeles and San Diego as an acceptable cost of the Iran war.
“the annihilation of two major American cities — more than 5 million people — is not a “small price to pay” for Trump's illegal war.”
Original post
Where this statement fits
What did Trump mean when he said 'Let them take out Los Angeles' at a Nebraska rally?
At a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on October 5, 2026, President Donald Trump called the costs of the Iran war "a small price to pay for keeping the world safe" and said, "They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego." The passage followed remarks about the midterm elections and did not mention nuclear weapons; Trump had said earlier in the speech that Iran will not have one. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the mayors of Los Angeles and San Diego and other critics said Trump was inviting attacks on the two cities or treating them as an acceptable price for the war. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said Trump was stating that U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran had not been stopped. The dispute is over what Trump meant.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Sanders rejects describing the destruction of American cities as a small price for the Iran war.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The post follows Trump's Nebraska rally passage about the war and its costs.
After the quotation
Sanders also refers to military deaths and Iranian deaths and calls Trump unhinged.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to Trump's remarks about Los Angeles and San Diego, Sanders expressly rejects the cost comparison he attributes to the president.
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More from this case
Read the full caseLegal advisory board condemns Trump's language about the cities
The Daily Record Editorial Advisory Board
“His language, his disregard for the lives of millions, is very very distressing.”Read statement
Trump says his comparison concerned gasoline prices and city safety
“All I was doing was making a comparison between paying a little more, for a short time, for Gasoline, versus the bombing of our Major Cities.”Read statement
Russell disputes the interpretation that Trump invited an attack
“But to suggest Trump was goading Iran into attacking LA or San Diego is asinine.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Sanders rejects treating American cities as a small price for war". First published: 2026-10-25. Last updated: 2026-10-25. https://disputeindex.com/events/6752-sanders-condemns-what-he-reads-as-trump-treating