Nicole Russell
Role at the time: USA TODAY opinion columnist
Challenged the characterization
Statement summary
Russell calls Trump's wording clumsy and rambling but argues that the full passage concerned gasoline prices and preventing a nuclear threat.
“But to suggest Trump was goading Iran into attacking LA or San Diego is asinine.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)The media is losing it over Trump's 'take out' LA remark | OpinionOpinion column, sections on the full rally passage and media coverage
Russell argues that Trump was comparing fuel costs with the danger of a nuclear Iran.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Why we used this label
Relative to the meaning of Trump's Nebraska remarks, Russell rejects the interpretation that he was encouraging Iran to attack the cities.