'What is the proof?': CNN panel slaps down GOP strategist over Trump's tariffs

The panel on CNN's "NewsNight with Abby Phillip" erupted on Monday night after a GOP strategist tried to defend President Donald Trump's tariff policy.

Earlier in the day, Trump announced new 25% tariffs against South Korea and Japan, two of America's largest trading partners. GOP strategist Brad Todd joined the panel to argue that the tariffs are a sound economic policy for the U.S. government to pursue.

"It's not fair that German cars coming to America are tariffed at one-fourth the rate of American cars going to Germany," Todd said. "Those barriers exist all over the globe. So, the president's goal of reducing the barriers to American products is a good one. Going through long multi-national processes didn't work before, so he's trying another way."

Host Abby Phillip pushed back on Todd's claims and pointed out that Trump re-negotiated a trade deal with Mexico and Canada during his first administration.

"What is the proof that actually sitting down and negotiating in good faith does not work, and what is the proof that what he is doing now, which is setting deadlines and then pulling them back, is working?" Phillip asked Todd pointedly.

Todd said the proof is in America's trade relations with China.

"When Trump has said he wants to deal with China, they go to China and China basically brushes them off," Phillip said. "I'm not seeing the proof that this hardball strategy, even with China, is working."

You can watch the exchange here.