After being described as “deranged and dangerous” because of it, Trump clarifies his statements regarding the hypothesis that “Iran destroyed two cities in America”

US President Donald Trump is trying to clarify comments he made earlier this week - which sparked angry, bipartisan reactions - when he appeared to suggest that Iran was capable of "destroying" the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego.

In a speech he delivered during a rally on Wednesday evening in San Antonio, Texas, Trump made similar statements, adding: “We will not let that happen.”

"Do you want to see shock? Do you want to see problems? I said that a few days ago: Let them fire a missile at San Diego or Los Angeles; let them hit... Do you want to see a terrifying spectacle? Do you want to see trouble? Let them hit San Diego. Let them hit Los Angeles, and then you will see terrible things happen; you will see a country in free fall. We will not let that happen. We protect our cities. We protect our country," Trump said.

California officials were quick to respond the first time he made those comments, criticizing the president following a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom called the president "unhinged and dangerous."

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the statements about the city "could put our safety at risk."

As the wave of criticism escalated, White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung said on the X platform that Trump was "making it clear that American cities would have been threatened if nuclear Iran had not been stopped."