WASHINGTON — California's Democratic congressional delegation, including both of the state's U.S. senators, condemned President Donald Trump on Wednesday after he suggested during a rally that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego, calling on the president to apologize to millions of Californians.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, led the statement alongside Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff and 40 Democratic members of the state's House delegation, including Rep. Brad Sherman, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The lawmakers were responding to comments Trump made Tuesday night during a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, while defending the ongoing U.S. war with Iran.
"Yesterday, President Trump, while defending his unconstitutional war against Iran, appeared, incredibly, to invite Iran to destroy two American cities," the lawmakers said. "His exact words were 'Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego.'"
The delegation called on Trump to apologize "to the over 16 million Americans who live in the Los Angeles and San Diego metropolitan areas and all Americans who expect more out of our President."
Lofgren, Padilla and Schiff joined lawmakers from across California in rebuking the remarks, which directly invoked the state's two largest metropolitan areas.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sherman, whose Los Angeles-area district includes communities in the San Fernando Valley and Westside, separately delivered some of the sharpest individual responses to Trump's remarks.
Newsom called the president "deranged and dangerous," while Sherman wrote on X: "Unhinged and dangerous comments from a President who seems determined to reach a new, unimaginable low every day."
Their comments struck a more pointed tone than the delegation's formal demand for an apology, casting Trump's remarks as not merely offensive to Californians but dangerous rhetoric involving the possible destruction of two major American cities.
Padilla and Schiff likewise condemned Trump alongside the state's House Democrats, presenting a nearly unified front from California's Democratic congressional delegation.
The joint statement was signed by lawmakers representing districts throughout the state, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Reps. Judy Chu, Ted Lieu, Maxine Waters, Robert Garcia, Ro Khanna and others.
"Upon taking office, the President swears to uphold the Constitution and to protect us from our enemies," the California Democrats said. "As members of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, we call on President Trump to apologize."
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