ABC's Good Morning America, George Stephanopoulos, Martha Raddatz, Anderson Cooper, and Kaitlan Collins reported that Donald Trump said it is a small price to pay if Iran nukes Los Angeles and San Diego.
Posted by The Kuhner Report, Checked
- Sources
- 4 contradict1 support6 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
The Kuhner ReportOct 7, 2026
Trump did say on 2026-10-06 at a Nebraska rally that it was 'a small price to pay' and that 'Let them take out Los Angeles, let them take out San Diego,' but the sources show the 'small price' remark referred to the war's economic cost (prices), not to Iran destroying the cities, so the claim's link is a context-stripped reversal.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… believe it, is, according to Trump and this war, if the Iranians nuke Los Angeles and San Diego, it's a small price to pay, you know, as long as we end up winning the war with Iran. So let them take out LA, let them take out San Diego, and the hoax was born. It went from ABC Good Morning America, to be exact, Stephanopoulos, that scumbag, and then Martha Raddatz, to then Anderson Cooper and Caitlin Collins at CN. This November, the National Symphony Orchestra performs music from two of the season's most treasured fairy tales. …
The Kuhner Report · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. In the same passage, the 'small price to pay' line is tied to the artificial, high prices from the war, not to Iran attacking US cities; the city remark came separately, so the claim's pairing reverses the context.[5][6][7]
Contradicts. Fact-checkers and the White House describe the remarks as an unscripted tangent meant to say U.S. cities would have been threatened had Iran not been stopped, which undercuts the reading that Trump called a nuclear strike on LA and San Diego a small price to pay.[1][5][7]
Supports. Multiple outlets (NBC News, BBC, ABC7) quote Trump at the October 5/6, 2026 Nebraska rally saying 'It's a small price to pay' and 'They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles, let them take out San Diego.'[5][6][8]
Context. None of the sources mention Stephanopoulos, Raddatz, Anderson Cooper or Kaitlan Collins reporting Trump's remarks, so the attribution of the claim to these named journalists and outlets is not verified.[2][3][4][9][10][11]
Sources
11 sources: 4 fact-checkers, 1 tier 2, 5 not rated, 1 tier 1
- 1Issues: Iran warfactcheck.org · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts
- 2Fact Check: NO Reports Indicate George Stephanopoulos Is 'Expected To Be Fired' After Trump Settlement With ABC News -- In Variety Or Any Other Trusted Outlet | Lead Storiesleadstories.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 3Martha Raddatz - PolitiFactpolitifact.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 4ABC News Articles | Snopes.comsnopes.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 5California officials condemn Trump for saying Iran could ' ...nbcnews.com · tier 2 · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 6Trump suggests letting Iran 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diegoabc7.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 7Fact Check: What Trump actually said about Iran taking out Los Angeles and San Diegoyahoo.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
- 8White House defends Trump comment to let Iran 'take out' ...bbc.com · tier 1 · cited for: supports
- 9George Stephanopoulosgoodmorningamerica.com · not rated · cited for: context
- 10Watch Good Morning America TV Show - ABC.comabc.com · not rated · cited for: context
- 11This Week With George Stephanopoulos - ABC Newsabcnews.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- 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.True
- Donald Trump suggested that Iran should bomb Los Angeles and San Diego.Mixed
- Gavin Newsom, Karen Bass, and Todd Gloria have stated that President Trump wants Iran to nuke Los Angeles and San Diego.Mixed
- The media and Democrats are claiming that President Trump called on Iran to attack Los Angeles and San Diego.True
- President Donald Trump stated that a ballistic missile would be dropped on Los Angeles or San Diego.Mixed