Trump offers California as collateral to sustain a phantom war
By Tom Beckwith · Reporting from Washington ·
President Trump told campaign rallies that letting Iran hit Los Angeles or San Diego is a small price to pay, trading national security for raw political theater.
Interests first, domestic targets second
The White House faces electoral headwinds and high fuel prices. It seeks external crises to consolidate domestic support. Donald Trump told a San Antonio rally that hitting Los Angeles is a small price to pay. This trades national security for raw political theater. Gavin Newsom uses state emergency operations to block federal overreach. He aims to safeguard California policies while building a profile for 2028. Iran seeks fuel cycle technology and relief from Hague Tribunal claims.
Capabilities, rhetoric, and the Iran Nuclear Deal
Tehran lacks the capability to strike the American mainland. The Guardian and the Los Angeles Times report Iran has no nuclear weapons. It has no missiles capable of reaching the United States. Intelligence assessments confirm Iran abandoned its weapons program in 2003. The administration still uses military strikes to signal resolve. This mirrors the 2020 United States strike on Qasem Soleimani.
The price of theater five years out
The Iran Nuclear Deal once provided a framework for diplomatic containment. This administration chose maximum pressure instead. The 2011 intervention in Libya showed the risks of framing intervention as a necessary cost. Now, the president treats domestic safety as a rhetorical throwaway. Jimmy Kimmel highlighted media hypocrisy regarding these jokes. Five years out, this move costs the United States its strategic credibility.
The move forces states like California to litigate federal emergency powers. It also leaves the nation vulnerable to fuel inflation. Trade talks with Canada resulted in reciprocal tariffs of up to 50 percent. High gas prices now bedevil candidates like Ken Paxton. The administration diverted $20m to pay for partisan ads. This spending faces a federal lawsuit from the Democratic National Committee.
The permanent cost of phantom deterrence
Donald Trump must stop using American cities as disposable props. Posing domestic populations as collateral damage destroys the credibility of the office. It leaves the nation less secure.
Sources
- The Guardian: Trump repeats his false claim that Iran could destroy Los Angeles or San Diego – as it happened
- Los Angeles Times: Trump says he won’t let Iran strike L.A. or San Diego: ‘Not going to let that happen’
- Mashable: Jimmy Kimmel calls out Fox's reaction to a 'joke' from him versus one from Trump