Trump says comment that Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles was misinterpreted

Oct 8 (Reuters) - US ‌President Donald Trump ​on ​Thursday said comments he made that Iran could "take out" California cities had been misinterpreted ‌and that he was instead referring to the ⁠need for people to tolerate higher gas prices.

Trump made the ‌remarks at a political rally ‌in Nebraska on Monday as he spoke about Americans' wartime economic sacrifices.

"Remember, with the war, it's just artificial, ​it's a little bit high, it's a small price to pay," he said then. "It's a small ⁠price to pay for keeping the world safe, for keeping our country ​safe. They could take out a city. Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out ​San Diego. This is a ‌very small price to pay, and it's going to be over with very soon."

California's ⁠Democratic leaders and some fellow Republicans quickly rebuked the remarks.

"What I was talking about was that a temporary increase in ⁠the price of Gasoline is a small price to pay ​for Iran not having a Nuclear Weapon," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Thursday.

"If you want to see a ‌big price, can you imagine what it would be like if they bombed San ‌Diego and/or Los Angeles?" he continued, saying he loved ⁠both cities.

Trump has shrugged ‌off cost-of-living concerns ​stemming from the Iran conflict before.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Trevor Hunnicutt and Michelle ‌Nichols )

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