Updated

At a rally in Nebraska on Monday night, President Trump suggested Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles or San Diego while defending the rising costs of the US war with Iran, prompting the White House to say he was misunderstood. California Governor Gavin Newsom called the remarks 'deranged and dangerous' and directed the state's threat-assessment center to actively monitor for possible threats, while other Democratic officials condemned the comments as reckless. The episode has become a flashpoint in broader debate over Trump's handling of the Iran war ahead of the midterms, drawing coverage of how the administration frames nuclear and missile threats to US cities. Critics argue the remarks were used to justify continued military spending on the conflict, while supporters among administration officials downplayed the comments as rhetorical.