Donald Trump went on an eyebrow-raising riff about the Democrat-led cities of Los Angeles and San Diego being “taken out” while defending the economic cost to Americans of his war with Iran at a midterm campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday.

The president was attempting to boost Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), who is facing an unexpectedly competitive challenge from independent candidate Dan Osborn, when he sought to justify higher fuel prices amid the conflict he launched in February.

Trump said:

“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, keeping our country safe. They could take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego.”

The reference to the two California cities being “taken out” drew cheers and applause from the Nebraska crowd.

It was unclear, however, whether Trump was suggesting Iran should be allowed to “take out” the two cities or was just invoking them as examples of what he believes could happen without his own attacks on Tehran.

Trump continued:

“This is a very small price to pay and it’s gonna be over with very soon. It’s essentially almost over with. And they might keep going a little long. You know, they always say, ‘They have a big threshold for pain.’ They need it, let me tell you, they need it. But it’s gonna end very soon. And it’ll end one way or the other. And your gas and your gasoline and all the other things. And don’t forget, we also took on a country named as Venezuela. They never talk about Venezuela. We are taking in hundreds of millions of barrels of oil. We are pouring oil into this country like nobody’s ever seen before.”

Watch here:

Trump on War/High Prices: It's just artificial. It's a little bit high. It's a small price to pay. They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego… pic.twitter.com/RtOiv5tZBP

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