President Donald Trump is facing a wave of backlash after suggesting that Iran should “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego, telling supporters at a midterm campaign rally that the destruction of two of California's largest Democratic-led cities would be “a very small price to pay.”

The remarks came on Tuesday, Oct. 5, when Trump appeared in Nebraska to ramp up Republican turnout and show support for Sen. Pete Ricketts. According to MS Now, however, it was his comments involving the two California cities that grabbed the bulk of the attention. Los Angeles and San Diego rank among the most populous cities in the United States.

Speaking on stage to a packed crowd, Trump said: “Let them take, Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay, and it's going to be awkward very soon.”

“It's essentially almost over with. And they might keep going a little longer,” he continued, adding, “You know, they always say they have a big threshold for pain.”

Trump also attempted to tie his remarks about Iran to the steadily rising gas prices nationwide. “They need it. Let me tell you they need it,” he said. “But it's going to end very soon. And it will end one way or the other. And your gas and your gasoline and all of the things.”

The panel of MS Now's Morning Joe, the network's long-running morning program, did not hold back in response to the inflammatory comments. Co-host Joe Scarborough began by noting that MAGA supporters will likely try to explain away the president's words. “There will be some, 'Oh, he's just joking. He's just.' Well, okay. Well, great,” he said.

Scarborough went further, denouncing how dangerous Trump's words are and how unprecedented they would be for a modern U.S. president. “What other American president in our history, post-Civil War, have called for the destruction of entire cities. Joking? If this is your joke, this is your idea of a presidential joke, joking about the killing of 10 million or so people,” he continued.

He then asked: “Is that where we are? Because I thought it was bad enough when he was joking in front of California Republicans several years ago, I think it was in [20]22 about an elderly man getting the hell beaten out of him and almost dying. Paul Pelosi, remember, [Trump] led those [laughing in] California.”

Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was seriously injured in the 2022 attack at the couple's San Francisco home, in which an intruder struck him with a hammer.

Scarborough added, “We're talking about the president of the United States talking about the obliteration of San Diego and Los Angeles as a joke.”

During the Nebraska rally, Trump also teased the possibility of another midterm campaign event in Maine later this month, just ahead of Election Day, per CBS affiliate WGME. If the Maine visit comes together, it would keep Trump on the campaign trail through the closing days of the midterm race.