I think you’re “spot on” about this whole thing being orchestrated to get the Dems to have a majority in both houses ( but I do realize that it was Trump’s decision to start this war).
We were in Portugal. It was Booming! Tourists everywhere! We sat on the rooftop bar in Porto and I could see 24 cranes on the horizon. And we were told that it would be more quiet in October. More Europeans eating and spending, but still quite a few Americans. And I noticed the price of gasoline is around $10 gallon (2.20 euros/litre).