Donald Trump has told Iran it can attack Los Angeles or San Diego in a controversial rally rant, claiming it is a "small price to pay" for keeping the world safe.
The US President made the remarks on Monday evening during a speech at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center in Grand Island, Nebraska, while campaigning alongside Pete Ricketts ahead of the November midterm elections.
Rally remarks on the war
Trump told the gathered crowd: "By the way, we're kicking Iran's ass, you do know that, right?" He then appeared to goad Iran into targeting major Californian cities, saying: "Remember, with the war, it's just artificial. It's a little bit high.
"It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe. They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles or San Diego. This is a very small price to pay."
Conflict 'almost over'
The President added: "It's essentially almost over. They always say they have a big threshold for pain, let me tell you, they need it. It's going to end very soon and it'll end one way or the other."
Trump further suggested that fuel prices would change significantly in the near future, hinting that the conflict was drawing to a close. He said: "It'll end very quickly and prices are gonna come down very sharply. You might say, 'Please, please, Sir, it's going down too fast!' You watch"
Campaign blitz continues
His address forms part of what the Republican president describes as a 32-day blitz of rallies leading up to November 3. He has already visited Oklahoma and Alabama. On Wednesday, he will make his second appearance in Texas within a fortnight, holding a rally in San Antonio.
