'The president doesn't give a damn': MSNBC panel says Trump wants GOP to lose in 2018 so he can win in 2020

An MSNBC panel on Wednesday asked a question that was posed on Tuesday by a scathing Wall Street Journal editorial -- namely, is President Donald Trump intentionally sabotaging Republican efforts to hold onto the House of Representatives?

Former Democratic lawmaker Steve Israel appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" to make the case that Trump may want the Democrats to win back the House in 2018 because it will boost his chances of getting reelected in 2020.

"There is no rational explanation -- even from an irrational president -- for him to demand a shutdown of the federal government, in a midterm election in less than 100 days, unless he wants to help elect Democrats," he said.

He then went on to say that Trump wants Democrats to take back the House because he "cannot afford to run in 2020" with the unpopular Republican Congress hanging around his neck.

"He needs a foil, and what better foil than House Democrats?" he asked.

Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele agreed with Israel's analysis and said that Trump was essentially throwing his own party under the bus to make life easier for his reelection campaign in two years.

"The president doesn't really give a damn about this legislative process," he said. "The better foil for him, coming out of 2018, is to spend the next 18 months haranguing against Nancy Pelosi."

Watch the video below.