BND - Trump comments on Iran potentially targeting California cities draw mixed reactions

🗞️ Story file #133

Trump comments on Iran potentially targeting California cities draw mixed reactions

Oct 6, 6 AM ET to Oct 10, 6 AM ET · 3 outlets not rated for lean

40outlets carried it
🫏23 · 7 · 7🐘left · center · right
4 dayson the front pages
39front pages at once, at its peak
104 minof TV captions
3radio newscasts
2fact-checks

👣 How this story traveled: from the front pages that broke it, out through TV, radio and the shows, into what people retold and what fact-checkers examined, and on into the saga it is part of. Everything here is matched to the story by our tools, so a link can be wrong; the trackers' pages say how each is made.

Oct 6, 6 AM ETfirst on a front page: ABC News
Oct 6, 6 PM ETfirst on the radio: NPR News Now
Oct 6, 8 PM ETfirst on TV: CNN
Oct 7, 9 AM ETpeak: on 39 front pages

the front pages that ran it, hour by hour

Front pages carrying it at each hourly run, Oct 6, 6 AM to Oct 10, 6 AM ET (peak 39), by the outlets' lean: left · center · right · not rated

Who carried it and when: each outlet in the order it picked the story up, a bar for each headline from when we first saw it on the front page to when we last did, in the outlet's lean color (dashed: not rated); a dot marks a new headline. Beneath, its captions on TV, the radio newscasts that carried it (bigger: the lead) and when people were found retelling it. Hover for details.

📌 linked by aggregators: Real Clear Politics Google News Drudge Report

💬 quoted: “All I was doing was making a comparison” “horror show” “Let them hit a missile into San Diego” “take out” “taking out” “Not going to let that happen” 2 “Let them hit San Diego, let them hit Los Angeles” 2 “small price to pay” 2

🗣️ only one side says: 🫏 los angeles

✏️ 23 outlets ran more than one headline on it (reworded, or a follow-up)

ABC News (2 wordings): “Trump suggests Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego” → “Trump suggests Iran could 'take out' LA and San Diego if it develops nuclear weapons”
Axios (2 wordings): “Trump under fire for saying Iran could "take out" LA, San Diego” → “Trump fears Iran could target U.S. cities. See which get extra safeguards”
BBC (3 wordings): “California leaders hit back after Trump says Iran can 'take out' LA and San Diego” → “White House defends Trump comment to let Iran 'take out' LA and San Diego”
Breitbart (4 wordings): “White House Fires Back at Critics After Trump’s Remark That Iran ‘Can Take Out a City’” → “Anti-Trump California Gov. Gavin Newsom Calls For Invoking 25th Amendment”
Crooks and Liars (2 wordings): “Trump Has A Truly Deranged Message About Iran Destroying U.S. Cities” → “CA To Monitor Threats After Trump OKs Iran To ‘Take Out’ Two Cities”
Forbes (2 wordings): “Trump Draws Backlash For ‘Let Them Take Out Los Angeles’ Or ‘San Diego’ Iran War Remarks” → “Trump Clarifies ‘Let Them Hit Los Angeles’ Iran War Comment—Says He Won’t ‘Let That Happen’”
HuffPost (9 wordings): “Trump Floats Grim Scenario For 2 Democrat-Run Cities While Defending Iran War” → “Trump Goes Full Damage Control On LA-San Diego Comment At Texas Rally”
Los Angeles Times (3 wordings): “Trump suggests letting Iran ‘take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego at campaign rally” → “Trump says he won’t let Iran strike L.A. or San Diego: ‘Not going to let that happen’”
MSNBC (2 wordings): “Trump tries to walk back ‘take out’ Los Angeles, San Diego comments at another Texas rally” → “Could Trump’s comments on Iran “taking out” L.A. and San Diego be considered “treason?””
Mediaite (3 wordings): “Rally-Goers Cheer as Trump Says, ‘Let Them Take Out Los Angeles’ or ‘San Diego’” → “‘You Buffoons!’ White House Lashes Out at ‘Media Freakout’ Over Trump’s LA, San Diego Remark”
NBC News (2 wordings): “California officials condemn Trump for saying Iran could ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego” → “Trump says ‘we protect our cities’ after saying Iran could ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego”
New York Post (2 wordings): “Newsom blasts ‘deranged and dangerous’ Trump for joking that Iran could ‘take out’ LA and San Diego” → “White House rips ‘media freakout’ over Trump suggesting Iran could take out LA, San Diego with nukes”
New York Times (3 wordings): “Fury in California After Trump Suggests Iran Could ‘Take Out’ L.A. or San Diego” → “What, Exactly, Did Trump Say About Iran Taking Out Los Angeles and San Diego?”
Newsmax (4 wordings): “Gov. Newsom Condemns Trump's 'Let 'Em Take Los Angeles' Comments” → “WH Defends Trump's Remarks on LA, San Diego”
Newsweek (2 wordings): “White House Defends Trump’s LA, San Diego Destruction Comment Amid Backlash” → “Trump Doubles Down on Comments About Iran Bombing LA and San Diego”
Reuters (4 wordings): “California officials blast Trump's comment to let Iran 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego” → “Trump says comment that Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles was misinterpreted”
The Guardian (7 wordings): “Trump suggests he would let Iran ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego” → “Trump repeats his false claim that Iran could destroy Los Angeles or San Diego”
The Hill (7 wordings): “White House pushes back on characterization of Trump’s Iran comments on LA, San Diego” → “Trump explains LA, San Diego comments: 'All I was doing was making a comparison'”
The Independent (3 wordings): “Outrage as Trump names two US cities for Iran to take out: ‘That’s a very small price to pay’” → “Trump doubles down and asks if supporters want a ‘horror show’ from Iran: ‘Let them hit a missile into San Diego’”
The New Republic (2 wordings): “Trump Suggests Letting Iran “Take Out” Los Angeles and San Diego” → “Trump Pulls 180 After Telling Iran to Bomb California Three Times”
Townhall (3 wordings): “The Media Says Trump Wants Iran to ‘Take Out’ LA and San Diego. Here’s What He Actually Said.” → “Donald Trump The Media Says Trump Wants Iran to ‘Take Out’ LA and San Diego. Here’s What He Actually Said. Dmitri Bolt”
USA Today (2 wordings): “Newsom condemns Trump after LA, San Diego rally remarks” → “Trump sparks outrage for suggesting Iran could 'take out' US cities”
Yahoo News (4 wordings): “Trump says Iran bombing San Diego and LA would be 'small price to pay'” → “Trump’s comment about Iran nuking Los Angeles and San Diego was incoherent, not malicious”

Every outlet's first headline (40), left to right by AllSides rating

Alternet Trump jokes about Iran destroying Los Angeles and San Diego Oct 5, 10 PM ET
HuffPost Trump Floats Grim Scenario For 2 Democrat-Run Cities While Defending Iran War Oct 6, 8 AM ET
MSNBC Trump tries to walk back ‘take out’ Los Angeles, San Diego comments at another Texas rally Oct 8, 10 AM ET
Rolling Stone California Leaders Erupt After Trump Suggests Letting Iran 'Take Out' Cities Oct 6, 10 AM ET
Salon White House denies Trump wants to let Iran bomb California cities Oct 6, 7 PM ET
The Daily Beast Newsom Tears Into Trump After ‘Deranged’ Offer Oct 6, 7 AM ET
The Daily Kos Trump says Iran can ‘take out’ LA. New York Times feigns confusion. Oct 6, 6 PM ET
The Guardian Trump suggests he would let Iran ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego Oct 6, 5 AM ET
The New Republic Trump Suggests Letting Iran “Take Out” Los Angeles and San Diego Oct 6, 9 AM ET
ABC News Trump suggests Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego Oct 6, 6 AM ET
Axios Trump under fire for saying Iran could "take out" LA, San Diego Oct 6, 11 AM ET
Business Insider Trump says Iran could ‘take out’ LA. Its missiles can’t reach that far. Oct 6, 6 PM ET
CBS News Trump suggests letting Iran "take out" LA, San Diego during rally Oct 6, 3 AM ET
Los Angeles Times Trump suggests letting Iran ‘take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego at campaign rally Oct 6, 12 AM ET
Mediaite Rally-Goers Cheer as Trump Says, ‘Let Them Take Out Los Angeles’ or ‘San Diego’ Oct 5, 10 PM ET
NBC News California officials condemn Trump for saying Iran could ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego Oct 6, 4 PM ET
New York Times Fury in California After Trump Suggests Iran Could ‘Take Out’ L.A. or San Diego Oct 6, 6 AM ET
PBS NewsHour Trump draws cheers, then criticism for musing about Iran taking out U.S. cities Oct 6, 12 PM ET
Star Tribune Fury in California after Trump suggests Iran could ‘take out’ L.A. or San Diego Oct 6, 11 AM ET
The Independent Outrage as Trump names two US cities for Iran to take out: ‘That’s a very small price to pay’ Oct 6, 7 AM ET
Time Newsom Calls for 25th Amendment After Trump Imagines Iran Attacking California Oct 7, 9 AM ET
USA Today Newsom condemns Trump after LA, San Diego rally remarks Oct 6, 7 AM ET
Yahoo News Trump says Iran bombing San Diego and LA would be 'small price to pay' Oct 6, 9 AM ET
BBC California leaders hit back after Trump says Iran can 'take out' LA and San Diego Oct 6, 8 AM ET
Forbes Trump Draws Backlash For ‘Let Them Take Out Los Angeles’ Or ‘San Diego’ Iran War Remarks Oct 6, 9 AM ET
Newsweek White House Defends Trump’s LA, San Diego Destruction Comment Amid Backlash Oct 6, 12 PM ET
Reuters California officials blast Trump's comment to let Iran 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego Oct 6, 8 AM ET
Scripps News Iran War Trump sparks criticism with comments on potential Iranian attacks on US cities Joe St. George Oct 6, 10 AM ET
Straight Arrow News Trump’s apparent joke about letting Iran bomb LA and San Diego catches bipartisan condemnation Oct 6, 2 PM ET
The Hill White House pushes back on characterization of Trump’s Iran comments on LA, San Diego Oct 6, 12 PM ET
The Sun BIZARRE REMARK Trump jokes about Iran taking out 2 US cities as 'small price to pay' Oct 6, 12 PM ET
Washington Examiner California officials furious over Trump’s Los Angeles San Diego Iran remarks Oct 6, 1 PM ET
Breitbart White House Fires Back at Critics After Trump’s Remark That Iran ‘Can Take Out a City’ Oct 6, 6 PM ET
IJR Trump Says Iran Taking Out California Cities Is ‘Small Price’ Oct 6, 5 PM ET
New York Post Newsom blasts ‘deranged and dangerous’ Trump for joking that Iran could ‘take out’ LA and San Diego Oct 6, 10 AM ET
Newsmax Gov. Newsom Condemns Trump's 'Let 'Em Take Los Angeles' Comments Oct 6, 8 AM ET
Townhall The Media Says Trump Wants Iran to ‘Take Out’ LA and San Diego. Here’s What He Actually Said. Oct 6, 4 PM ET
Crooks and Liars Trump Has A Truly Deranged Message About Iran Destroying U.S. Cities Oct 6, 10 AM ET
Punchbowl News Donald Trump’s ‘take out’ cities quip draws ire Democrats and a few Republicans are pushing back forcefully after President Donald Trump suggested Iran could “take out” San Diego or Los Angeles. defense Foreign Policy Oct 6, 3 PM ET
The Washington Sun Newsom Flags Cybersecurity Concerns After Trump Said Iran Could ‘Take Out’ California Cities Oct 6, 5 PM ET

TV, radio, and the shows that talked about it

📺 On TV

CNN87 min

Fox News12 min

BBC News3 min

MSNOW2 min

TRUMP DRAWS BACKLASH AFTER SUGGESTING IRAN COULD "TAKE OUT" LOS ANGELES OR SAN DIEGO CNN, 18 min
TRUMP SUGGESTS IRAN COULD "TAKE OUT" L.A. IF DEVELOPS NUKE CNN, 12 min
LA MAYOR RESPONDS AFTER TRUMP SUGGESTS IRAN COULD "TAKE OUT" THE CITY CNN, 8 min
TRUMP AGAIN MENTIONS IRANIAN ATTACK ON CALIFORNIA CITIES CNN, 7 min
TRUMP'S "TAKE OUT" L.A. OR SAN DIEGO REMARK FUELS BACKLASH CNN, 6 min
TRUMP: WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET IRAN HIT LOS ANGELES, SAN DIEGO CNN, 4 min
SAN DIEGO MAYOR RESPONDS AFTER TRUMP SUGGESTS IRAN "TAKE OUT" CITY. Mayor Todd Gloria | (D) San Diego CNN, 4 min
NEW MEDIA HOAX. PRESS THINKS TRUMP WANTS IRAN TO NUKE L.A.. SAN DIEGO Fox News, 4 min