CNN Manu Raju discussed the president-elect that of Donald Trump threatened tariffs against Mexico and Canada with his panel Thursday, which included the head of Semafor’s congressional office Bourgeois Everett. Everett highlighted the “great divide” within the Republican Party between the more protectionist and isolationist wing of Trump’s party and veteran Republican lawmakers who are staunch supporters of free trade.

Raju began the discussion by noting, “One of those things, this conversation with the mexican president saying on Truth Social, of course, that she had agreed to effectively close our southern border. It’s not what she said she accepted.

“But just a reminder of where things are on the issue of border crossings, illegal border crossings. They’re actually down significantly from the height of the situation late last year in December to today, largely due to Biden’s executive orders which are the result of a lot of pressure and of the failure to act in Congress. But that’s classic Trump, right? He will claim victory, even if victory had come before he did anything,” Raju explained.

Everett replied, “Not only that, but these are like both. If you could look at the two issues important to Donald Trump. He is hesitant on many political issues, but the border and tariffs are not those issues and tariffs. He was consistent.

“He’s been saying it since 1990, 2000 and so on!” Raju intervened.

“Right. And during his first presidency, we saw that he would follow through on these measures, not only towards other countries like China, but also towards his allies in Europe by imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum So when he threatens these things, people need to take him seriously Now, even if members of his own party want him to use them as leverage instead of going. all the way,” Everett added.

“I mean, do you expect a lot of resistance from Republicans on tariffs? I mean, it’s supposed to be a free trade party. This used to be Bush’s policy of advocating free trade policies, obviously very different today. But where, when you talk to Republicans on the Hill, are they going to object on this? Raju followed.

“I mean, the party has changed, but it’s a party in transition, especially in the Senate, where you and I spend a lot of time. These people were there, most of them in Congress 20 years ago. They are still mostly supporters of free trade. So there’s a big divide there,” Everett responded, adding:

And I think at this point, Trump is not yet president. We don’t really know if he will immediately apply these tariffs. So what the Republicans are also going to say is he’s just using this as a negotiating position. He’s just using that as leverage to stem border crossings and the entry of fentanyl into the country.

But we also know that he will follow through on this. And I don’t think the Republicans want that, because that’s probably the biggest political opening for the Democrats, is that if Trump, as Eva was talking about, his actions and the price increases begin to destroy the The economy, things like that, that’s what could turn around the fortunes of the Democratic Party more than these moments of introspection that they’re going through right now.

Watch the clip above via CNN.