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

The White House refuted claims made by Democrats that President Donald Trump had suggested Iran should "take out" major US cities like Los Angeles and San Diego. Footage from a recent Republican rally in Nebraska showed Trump stating that the high oil prices resulting from the Iran conflict were justified in order to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

He further stated, "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." This prompted an angry reaction from Democrats, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, who denounced Trump's remarks as advocating for the nuclear annihilation of American cities.

However, the White House dismissed these allegations as a "media freakout" and not based on reality. According to White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, Trump was simply stating that if Iran had not been stopped from acquiring nuclear weapons, they would have posed a serious threat to US cities. The White House also clarified that the Los Angeles Times had wrongly portrayed Trump as suggesting the possibility of Iran "taking out" Los Angeles and San Diego.

The White House pointed out that Trump was advocating for the prevention of Iran from having the capability to inflict such damage, which they would do if given the chance. Trump is currently on a campaign tour ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, with Republicans concerned that voter discontent over the Iran war and the resulting economic impact could harm their prospects of retaining control of Congress.