White House denies Trump suggested Iran should 'take out' US cities

The White House has responded to criticism after President Donald Trump made comments at a rally in Nebraska suggesting that Iran could "take out" major US cities, including Los Angeles and San Diego. According to the Jerusalem Post, Trump said that the economic costs of war, such as high oil prices, were a "small price to pay" for keeping the country safe, and that Iran could potentially target US cities.

California leaders have strongly condemned Trump's remarks, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria expressing concern for the safety of their cities. California Governor Gavin Newsom called Trump "deranged", while Republican congressional candidate Jim Desmond also criticized the president, saying that no American city or family should be treated as expendable.

The comments have sparked a backlash, with some Republicans joining Democrats in criticizing Trump. The president's remarks were made at a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, where he discussed the economic costs of war and the need to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Middle East Eye, Jerusalem Post, CBS News, Global News — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.