California’s Democratic congressional delegation has called on President Trump to issue a formal apology for remarks made at a rally this week suggesting Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego.

The delegation, chaired by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), issued a joint statement signed by the state’s 40 House members, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), demanding accountability from the president.

“As members of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, we call on President 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,” the delegation wrote.

Trump made the remarks at a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, where he appeared to defend the economic and human costs of the ongoing conflict with Iran by saying, “Let ’em take out Los Angeles, let ’em take out San Diego.”

He added that it was “a very small price to pay, and [the conflict is] going to be over with very soon,” framing the statement as a defense of the broader Iran military campaign.

The California lawmakers responded sharply, writing that Trump “appeared, incredibly, to invite Iran to destroy two American cities” while “defending his unconstitutional war against Iran.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who is reportedly weighing a 2028 presidential run, called the rhetoric “deranged and dangerous,” later escalating his characterization by describing the remarks as “dangerous — if not treasonous.”

Sen. Padilla also took to X to condemn the president, writing: “At least 19 servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice in Trump’s unauthorized war with Iran — including Noah Tietjens of Nebraska. Now Trump is in Nebraska inviting an attack on U.S. soil, putting millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of our servicemembers at risk while trying to get Americans to cheer for an attack on our own country. What kind of Commander in Chief does that?”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) said she was “horrified” by the remarks, telling CNN’s Anderson Cooper: “He went to war with Iran, and he basically said it’s okay, that it’s a small price to pay to attack 3.8 million people in the nation’s largest city.”

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (D) also weighed in, telling the president on social media to “keep our city out of your reckless war talk.”

The White House pushed back firmly, with Communications Director Steven Cheung stating: “The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality,” arguing that Trump “was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped.”

Cheung added that “America is safer because of the President,” noting that “Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money” following the conflict, framing the remarks as a defense of military success rather than an invitation to attack.