Dems’ latest Trump attack backfires as frequent critics refuse to play along

By Fox News · Fox News

Some of President Donald Trump’s most frequent media critics are turning on Democrats’ latest attack on the president, rejecting claims that Trump suggested Iran should "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego. "Trump's point here is that if he didn't start a war with Iran, then San Diego and LA would be at risk from nuclear war," wrote The Atlantic writer Michael Scherer on X. Trump was discussing the war with Iran and the threat of Tehran obtaining a nuclear weapon during a Nebraska rally on Monday before invoking Los Angeles and San Diego. "They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay," Trump said. DONALD TRUMP ACCUSES 'FAKE NEWS' OF WANTING US TO LOSE IRAN WAR, BLASTS NYT REPORTING The remarks quickly triggered a fight over what Trump meant, with Democrats and multiple media outlets characterizing them as a suggestion that Iran be allowed to attack the two California cities. One of the accounts amplifying the clip, Headquarters (@HQNewsNow), previously operated as "KamalaHQ" after originally serving as the Biden campaign’s "BidenHQ" rapid-response account. Several prominent journalists who have frequently scrutinized Trump are pushing back on Democrats’ latest attack on the president, rejecting claims that Trump suggested Iran should "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego. "This isn’t a direct quote from Trump, and I very much don’t think it’s a correct paraphrase. Trump has repeatedly argued that the consequences of the war, like higher gas prices , are a small price to pay compared to what an unchecked Iran could allegedly do," CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale said . "My read: The 'small price to pay' comment refers back to the costs of the war -- like gas prices -- not to the idea of Iran nuking LA and SD," wrote CNN senior reporter Aaron Blake . "Unpopular opinion: I don’t think Trump was suggesting letting Iran to attack ‘blue cities.’ I think he meant if Iran gets a nuke, LA and San Diego co…