President Donald Trump repeated remarks he made earlier this week suggesting Iran could “take out” Los Angeles or San Diego but added “we’re not going to let that happen.”
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Speaking Wednesday at a rally in Texas, where Republicans are struggling, Trump said he was ensuring Iran will “never have a nuclear weapon.”
He then referenced remarks he made at a rally in Nebraska on Monday, saying: “I said it the other day, let them hit a missile into San Diego or Los Angeles.”
He continued: “You want to see some bad things happen? You want to see a country that would be in free fall? We’re not going to let that happen. We protect our cities. We protect our country.”
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His initial remarks Monday sparked fierce backlash from leaders in California, including Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who called the president “deranged and dangerous.” Some Republicans also criticized Trump’s comments.
The White House said Trump’s Monday remarks were “clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped.” However, Trump’s unscripted, meandering speech created “opportunities for his foes and confusion for his allies,” The Post’s Karen Tumulty wrote in an analysis.
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