Afət Ziyadqızı
US President Donald Trump sparked broad political reaction after discussing the economic and strategic consequences of the conflict with Iran at an election rally in Nebraska. Assessing the scale of the conflict, the White House chief described the risk of Los Angeles and San Diego being harmed as a “very small price to pay.”
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that Trump’s remarks drew sharp criticism from representatives of both the Democratic and Republican parties in the United States.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung sought to clarify the remarks, saying the president had not intended to express a desire for the cities to be struck. He said Trump was highlighting the potential threat to US territory if Iran were to become a nuclear-armed state.
Nevertheless, California Governor Gavin Newsom, the mayors of Los Angeles and San Diego, as well as Republican congressional candidates, said no American city or civilian could be sacrificed as “collateral damage” in a war.
Military experts and analysts have also said the statement does not reflect the reality of Iran’s capabilities. According to the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s 2026 annual threat assessment, Iran does not have an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system capable of reaching the continental United States. A strike from Iranian territory on major California cities would require a range of about 12,000 kilometers, beyond Tehran’s current military and technological capabilities. Experts say Iran is currently able to exert pressure only through asymmetric threats, cyberattacks and proxy forces.
Intercontinental ballistic missiles are designed to travel over long distances and are generally defined as missiles with a range exceeding 5,500 kilometers. The distance and technical requirements involved mean that assessments of any potential threat to the US mainland depend on the development of capabilities well beyond Iran’s current arsenal, according to the cited intelligence assessment.
