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

White House officials denied allegations that President Donald Trump suggested Iran should take out major US cities such as Los Angeles and San Diego. Democrats accused the president of encouraging attacks on the US cities during a recent rally in Nebraska. Viral footage showed Trump stating that high oil prices from the Iran war were justified by the need to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

He made a remark that Iran could "take out a city" and that it was a "small price to pay" for maintaining national security. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders criticized Trump for allegedly encouraging Iran to target the two cities. However, the White House maintained that Trump was referring to the threat posed by Iran and not advocating for the cities to be attacked. The White House described the media's reaction as a "freakout" that was not based on reality.