WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Below is a statement by Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of The United States Conference of Mayors, in response to President Trump's statement suggesting Iran "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego:

"The nation's mayors — Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike — disagree with presidents all the time. That is how our democracy works. But last night, President Trump crossed a line that no president should ever approach.

"Speaking about Iran at a campaign rally, the President said, 'Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego.' These cities are not abstractions on a map. They are home to millions of Americans. San Diego is also home to tens of thousands of servicemembers and their families, the very people this country relies on to defend us.

"No American President should ever describe an attack on an American city by a hostile foreign power as acceptable. Not at a rally, not as a joke, not under any circumstances.

"Mayors are responsible every day for keeping their residents safe. They expect our country's Commander in Chief to share that responsibility, not dismiss it. The safety of American cities is not negotiable, and it is not partisan. The nation's mayors call on every elected official, regardless of party, to denounce these remarks and to reaffirm their sworn obligation to protect every American community and the people who live there."

About the United States Conference of Mayors – The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Follow our work on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, Substack, and TikTok.

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors

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