You could technically install your Linux distro to the USB first and then clone your image to another system. Wouldn’t recommend since that other system is likely to be different (cpu, gpu, etc.). This is also a lot more advanced since you would likely have to use something like dd or something else.
I think the more common thing to do would be to flash the LIVE image to the USB and then boot from it on the target machine to then run the installer from the LIVE image. This shouldn’t affect the USB if you do it right.
Also not sure what you’re trying to do.
You could technically install your Linux distro to the USB first and then clone your image to another system. Wouldn’t recommend since that other system is likely to be different (cpu, gpu, etc.). This is also a lot more advanced since you would likely have to use something like dd or something else.
I think the more common thing to do would be to flash the LIVE image to the USB and then boot from it on the target machine to then run the installer from the LIVE image. This shouldn’t affect the USB if you do it right.