White House denies Trump suggested Iran should ‘take out’ US cities

Washington: The White House dismissed accusations on Tuesday that President Donald Trump suggested Iran should target US cities like Los Angeles and San Diego, following backlash from Democrats. Viral footage from a Nebraska rally showed Trump expressing concerns about high oil prices resulting from the Iran war, stating that the costs were justified to safeguard the nation.

He added, "They can take out a city. 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 over with very soon."

California Democrats seized upon the remarks, accusing Trump of advocating for Iran to attack the two Pacific coast cities. Governor Gavin Newsom and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned Trump's comments, emphasizing the gravity of such a situation. However, the White House strongly refuted these claims, labeling the media's interpretation as a "freakout" and emphasizing that Trump was discussing the threat posed by a nuclear-armed Iran.

White House communications director Steven Cheung clarified that Trump was indicating the cities could be threatened if Iran had nuclear capabilities, rather than suggesting Iran should attack them.