Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) blasted CNN host Pamela Brown on Thursday over the network’s past economic coverage as the two sparred over the cost of living during the Biden administration.

Donalds appeared on CNN’s The Situation Room to defend President Donald Trump’s tariffs. In the moments before Donalds went on air, President Donald Trump delayed the 25% tariffs against Mexico for a second time, this time until April 2. The tariffs were scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

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“Was Trump‘s back-and-forth decision the right call, especially given the volatility of markets,” Brown asked.

“It is important that we stabilize not just our economic relationships around the globe, but also the fact that we got to secure our border and we got to stop the flow of fentanyl,” Donalds said. “Give Donald Trump the opportunity to actually negotiate with the Mexican president and with Canada and with China. You got to give him that opportunity because when prices were rising in the United States, I didn‘t hear CNN talking about that much. As a matter of fact, you ignored most of it while it was hurting the American people.”

“We did,” Brown interrupted. “We did cover that.”

“You didn‘t cover it the way it needed to be covered,” Donalds said. “Let‘s just be perfectly honest, okay?”

“Okay, well, that’s a matter of opinion,” Brown interrupted again.

“You let the last administration get away with it. But the American people suffered as a result,” Donalds said.

“That is your opinion, but we did,” Brown interrupted again.

“Oh, no, that‘s not my opinion, that‘s a fact,” Donalds said.

“Okay. No, it‘s not a fact,” Brown said.

JAKE TAPPER AND ALEX THOMPSON RELEASE BOOK ON BIDEN’S COGNITIVE DECLINE

According to an estimate from the nonpartisan think tank Tax Foundation, Trump’s latest tariffs, which include 25% against Canadian goods and 10% against Chinese goods, could raise taxes by more than $1 trillion between 2025 and 2034 should they continue until then. The tariffs are largely negotiating tactics with the countries that have since announced retaliatory tariffs.

New inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released last week showed a decline of a tenth of a percentage point in January, from 2.6% to 2.5%. However, core inflation, which excludes food and energy prices, rose 2.6% on an annual basis. The U.S. consumer price index increased above the Federal Reserve’s preferred 2% level to 3% in January.