Todd Gloria is the Democratic mayor of San Diego, first elected in 2020. He previously represented San Diego in the California State Assembly and served on the San Diego City Council, including a period as interim mayor in 2013 and 2014. He is president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
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.
Role at the time: Mayor of San Diego, in a statement issued by his office
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."
“No American city, regardless of its politics or geography, should ever be described as expendable or an acceptable price to pay.”
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. Gloria's statement treats the remark as describing San Diego as expendable and asks for a retraction and an apology, which adopts the critics' reading and criticizes the remark. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, but he objects to what he takes Trump to have said rather than disputing how others described it. This is a separate occasion from his October 5 post on X. Evidence: the statement as published by the Mayor's office.
Role at the time: Mayor of San Diego
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."
“San Diego is not collateral damage.”
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. Gloria answers the remark by rejecting the idea that his city could be a "small price to pay" or collateral damage of the war, which treats the remark as accepting harm to San Diego and criticizes it. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, but his post objects to what he takes Trump to have said rather than disputing how others described it. Evidence: Gloria's own post on X.
Statement dates: October 5, 2026 to October 6, 2026
Statement dates: October 5, 2026 to October 6, 2026
Statement dates: October 5, 2026 to October 6, 2026
