'This wasn't the strategy': CNN host challenges GOP lawmaker to his face over Trump claim

CNN's John Berman challenged Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) after the Florida Republican claimed that President Donald Trump was following a thought-out strategy to manage the U.S. economy.

Wednesday, Trump abruptly announced that he was pausing tariffs on U.S. trading partners for 90 days, which caused the stock markets to surge. The action caused Trump's credibility to take a hit following mixed signals out of the White House on whether or not Trump would hold fast to his tariff threats, or negotiate. In the end, Trump chose to negotiate.

"I think what's important for the market is to try to get a couple of these deals done as quickly as possible, so that it kind of calms the markets down," Gimenez said. "This was the strategy all along: try to reestablish a new base and and a new reality for commerce around the world with the United States."

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Gimenez reiterated, "For far too long, we've been taken advantage of, and the president wants that stopped. And this was his strategy all along. So, I think he's doing just fine, and I think that this is exactly what he wanted to do."

Berman pushed back, saying, "You know, they said this wasn't the strategy all along. There are all kinds of comments over the last week with them saying, 'No, no, no, this is not open to negotiation — these are sticking.' And it was the bond markets — the president said it himself yesterday. He says the bond markets were going 'yippee.'"

Gimenez shook his head and said, "No, no," to Berman's assertion.

"I don't know why the bond markets are going 'yippee,'" Gimenez said. "Look, whenever you're trying to reestablish commerce around the world and how the world trades with the United States, you're going to have ripples. You're going to ruffle some feathers, and you're going to have some waves. All we all need to do, and I've said it for a while: everybody needs to calm down. This is going to work out in the end."

Watch the clip below via CNN or click here.