Governor Gavin Newsom criticized Trump on social media, stating that the former president was advocating for attacks on millions of U.S. residents in two major American cities. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria emphasized that the city is not expendable and should not be part of "reckless war talk."

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also condemned the remarks as "dangerous," asserting that a president's role is to protect the country, not to threaten it. The comments were made despite a lack of clear intelligence suggesting Iran possesses the capability for such an attack on U.S. soil, though law enforcement agencies in California had previously been warned about potential drone attacks related to the Iran conflict.

Senator Adam Schiff and Xavier Becerra, a gubernatorial candidate, also voiced criticism, highlighting the potential threat to millions of Californians and questioning Trump's promises about ending the Iran war.