Updated

At a rally in Nebraska, President Trump suggested Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles or San Diego, prompting California Governor Gavin Newsom to call the remarks 'deranged and dangerous' and order the state's threat-assessment center to actively monitor for possible threats. The White House defended the comment amid widespread media scrutiny, including fact-checks of the claim and of Trump's related assertion that Iranian nuclear sites are being used as 'drug factories.' The controversy has added to tensions around US-Iran relations ahead of the midterms, with Democratic leaders accusing Trump of reckless rhetoric while the administration maintains the remarks were being taken out of context.