Trump Repeats Controversial Remarks: "Let Them Attack LA"

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeated controversial remarks suggesting he should let major U.S. cities face attacks from Iran.

Speaking at a midterm election rally in Texas on the 7th (local time), President Trump said, "We are making sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon." He added, "I said it the other day. Imagine if you let them hit San Diego or Los Angeles with a missile."

"Just let them attack. Do you want to see a horrible sight?" he continued. "Just let them attack San Diego. Let them attack LA. Then you'll see bad things happen."

President Trump emphasized, "Do you want to see the country spiral out of control? We are not going to let that happen. We protect our cities. We protect our country."

Los Angeles and San Diego are the first and second most populated cities in California along the Pacific coast.

California is also a region with strong support for the Democratic Party.

President Trump's remarks are interpreted as an assertion that the war with Iran was justified and inevitable, and that without it, major U.S. cities like LA and San Diego could have been targeted by Iranian nuclear missiles.

Two days prior on the 5th, at a rally in Nebraska, President Trump also stated, "They could destroy a city. Let them destroy LA. Let them destroy San Diego."

While President Trump made these remarks by arguing that the rise in oil prices due to the war with Iran is "a small price to pay to keep the world safe and our country safe," criticism has emerged, centered around the affected regions and the Democratic Party, asking whether he is implying it would be acceptable if Iran destroyed LA and San Diego.

Particularly within the political circles of California, where the two cities are located, intense reactions broke out, with statements such as "President Trump is suffering from a mental illness" and "President Trump's duties should be suspended."

However, the White House countered by stating, "President Trump was making it clear that U.S. cities would have been threatened if Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons had not been prevented."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.