ABC News, CNN, and MSNBC reported that President Trump stated that a nuclear attack on Los Angeles and San Diego would be a small price to pay.

Posted by The Kuhner Report, Oct 7, 2026Checked Nov 2, 2026

Polygraph verdictTrue

Sources: 6 support2 context
Said: 1 time·
Confidence: 70%

The Kuhner ReportOct 7, 2026

ABC News (source 6) and CNN (source 5) both reported Trump's Oct. 5 Nebraska remarks that Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego and that this was 'a small price to pay', and MS Now/MSNBC (via source 1) aired and discussed the same clip.

This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.

What was said

… They smeared him, and they deliberately smeared him because they wanted to terrorize voters, incite voters, frighten voters heading into the midterms. And so they came out and said, listen to this, that President Trump wants Iran to nuke Los Angeles and San Diego, that if they if they nuked Iran and San Diego, it would be, quote, a small price to pay. A disgusting lie, a disgusting smear, and they know they're lying. Either, as Sandy said to me before the show, in our pre-show production meeting, our pre-show meeting, she says, you know, either they're that stupid and they can't understand what someone is …

The Kuhner Report · Oct 7, 2026· from the transcriptPost →

What we found

Supports. Trump said at the Oct. 5 Grand Island, Nebraska rally: 'It's a small price to pay... They could take out a city. Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay.'[1][2][4][5]

Supports. ABC News reported on Oct. 6 that Trump suggested Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego if it developed nuclear weapons, drawing condemnation from California leaders.[6]

Supports. CNN reported on Oct. 6 the Trump remarks about Iran and Los Angeles and San Diego, while arguing the comment was incoherent rather than malicious.[4]

Supports. MS Now's 'Morning Joe' aired the clip, with co-host Mika Brzezinski saying Trump was 'casually calling for Iran to attack' the two cities, per PolitiFact.[3]

Context. CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale and the White House argue the remarks were misread and that Trump was saying U.S. cities would be threatened without a nuclear Iran; this disputes the meaning, not whether the outlets reported the statement.[1][7][8]

Context. The post's own passage says the media, led by ABC, then CNN, then MS, reported Trump wanted Iran to nuke the cities; the claim's wording is a faithful paraphrase of that reporting.

Sources

8 sources: 3 fact-checkers, 1 tier 2, 4 not rated

1Did Trump say of Iran, 'Let 'em take out' LA and San Diego?snopes.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports, context
2Californians blast Trump remark that Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles, San Diegoreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
3What Trump said about Iran taking out Los Angeles, San Diegopolitifact.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
4The reality of Trump’s comments on Iran nuking Los Angeles ...cnn.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
5Trump Draws Backlash After Suggesting Iran Could "Take ...transcripts.cnn.com · not rated · cited for: supports
6Trump suggests Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles and San ...abcnews.com · not rated · cited for: supports
7CNN's Daniel Dale Comes to Trump's Defense Over LA ...ground.news · not rated · cited for: context
8Dems' latest Trump attack backfires as frequent critics refuse to play ...yahoo.com · not rated · cited for: context

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Said in 1 published post

The Kuhner Report · Oct 7, 2026Post →

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