Trump says "I don’t give a damn" as he cites US earnings from the war with Iran

During a campaign event in Georgia on Saturday, former president Donald Trump dismissed advice from his aides and declared that the United States was generating sizable earnings from the war with Iran even as Americans confront higher gasoline prices. New Republic columnist Michael Tomasky cited the remark in a piece arguing it could indicate a calculated effort to see Republicans lose seats in the upcoming congressional elections. Tomasky presented three possible motives: Trump might exploit a defeat to claim the party cannot succeed without him, could relish a clash with Democrats who might probe his administration, and could use a loss as a pretext for alleging election fraud. The analysis was published ahead of the midterm contests.