President Trump really and truly feels that the Trumpian cause transcends any petty concerns for fiscal well-being American citizens may harbor.

Don’t believe it? Then consider his comments on the ill-advised trade war he’s kicked off with China.

He acknowledged the potential financial hit American farmers could take in this war, once China starts firing back, but they’ll “understand,” and it will be worth it, in the end.

“But if we do a deal with China, if, during the course of a negotiation they want to hit the farmers because they think that hits me, I wouldn’t say that’s nice. But I tell you, our farmers are great patriots,” Trump said.

“These are great patriots. They understand that they’re doing this for the country,” Trump said. “And we’ll make it up to them. And in the end, they’re going to be much stronger than they are right now.”

Soooo… farmers are taking one for the team?

Sure. They and their families could be forced into poverty for some undetermined length of time, but, MAGA, amirite? All that truly matters is that Trump get to come off as some tough negotiator.

The farmers will understand.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is on the hook for this one, having assured concerned parties in a recent Ohio town hall that the president assured him farmers would not be hurt by his hubris.

“I talked to the president as recently as last night,” Perdue said. “And he said, ‘Sonny, you can assure your farmers out there that we’re not going to allow them to be the casualties if this trade dispute escalates. We’re going to take care of our American farmers. You can tell them that directly.’ ”

Yeah, but if they do…

This is just another example of Trump telling his cabinet members one thing, sending them out to the crowds, then cutting their legs out from under them, immediately afterwards.

For farmers, it’s a gamble they really don’t want to take, no matter how much Trump believes they’re willing to stick their necks out for his glory.

China is a major market for American farmers, particularly for sorghum and soybean.

In a statement, the Farm Bureau reiterated their opposition to tariffs:

“It’s our hope and expectation that both sides will eventually arrive at an agreement that does not include tariffs,” a spokesperson for the Bureau said. “Whatever happens, you can be certain our policy will support the interests of farmers nationwide.”

Because tariffs are anti-free trade and ultimately, do not work.

Trump has moved to levy tariffs of $50 billion against China, then tacked the threat of another $100 billion because he’s stupid as a way of showing he means business.

China retaliated by proposing their own $50 billion tariff on U.S. goods, including those soybeans.

Trump thinks trade wars are easy to win, but he’s not really counting the cost to anybody else on the road to finding out.