Democratic candidate for U.S. House in California's 48th district.
Case
Trump told a Nebraska rally "Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego." California officials say he called attacks on the cities a small price for the Iran war; the White House says he meant a nuclear Iran's threat.
Case
An issue tracker recording where members of Congress and 2026 midterm candidates stand on the unauthorized Iran war, based on their votes on war-powers resolutions, campaign statements, and public remarks.
Role at the time: Democratic candidate for U.S. House in California's 48th District
Response to this claim
Trump accepts attacks on Los Angeles and San Diego as a cost of the Iran war: "if it means attacks on two major American cities in the process, he is not troubled by the cost."
“Donald Trump says Los Angeles and San Diego being attacked would be ‘a small price to pay’ for his reckless Iran war. That is appalling and terrifying.”
The reference point is whether Trump's remark meant Iranian attacks on Los Angeles and San Diego would be an acceptable price for the war, as critics read it, rather than that the war prevents a nuclear Iran from being able to attack them, as the White House says. Von Wilpert states the critics' reading directly, that Trump called an attack on the two cities a small price to pay, and condemns it. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, but she adopts and criticizes that reading rather than disputing a description. Evidence: von Wilpert's own campaign post on X.
Role at the time: Democratic nominee for U.S. House, California's 48th district; San Diego city councilmember
Statement summary
Marni von Wilpert's campaign platform says she opposes Trump's unauthorized wars and will fight attempts to slash education and healthcare funding to pay for forever wars. In April 2026 she released a statement calling out the war in Iran for driving up costs for Southern California families.
“She will fight back against the Trump Administration's attempts to slash education and healthcare funding to pay for forever wars — because our taxpayer dollars should be used to provide access to healthcare and education at home.”
Von Wilpert's platform opposes the unauthorized wars and objects to paying for them over healthcare and education, a clear opposition position.
Statement dates: September 24, 2026 to October 5, 2026
Statement dates: September 24, 2026 to October 5, 2026
Statement dates: September 24, 2026 to October 5, 2026
