CNN’ Jake Tapper repeatedly pressed Mike Pence on Sunday on whether the “manmade climate emergency” is a threat to the United States, noting that people inside the Trump administration have said that global warming would cause “economic distress and social discontent.”

The exchange occurred in a wide-ranging interview on “State of The Union.” At one point, Tapper noted that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats has acknowledged the threat that climate change could pose in the future.

“The EPA this week, however, rolled back part of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan, letting states set their own limit for coal power plants emissions,” Tapper said, before asking, “do you think human-induced climate emergency is a threat to the United States?”

Pence responded by saying that the Trump administration would “always follow the science” on the issue, prompting Tapper to chime in that the “science says it is.”

The vice president proceeded to argue that the Obama-era Clean Power Plan was about “hamstringing energy” and “raising the cost of utility rates for working families,” saying the Trump administration was against that.

He later pointed out that the U.S. was “seeing a significant reduction in carbon emissions” thanks to clean coal technology and natural gas.

“But is what people are calling a climate emergency, is it a threat?” Tapper asked. ” Do you think it is a threat, manmade climate emergency is a threat?”

“I think the answer to is going to be based upon the science,” Pence responded, leading Tapper to state that the science has already said climate change is a threat.

Pence raised doubts about the statement before reiterating his criticism of Obama and other Democrats’ plans to combat climate change.

“So you don’t think it is a threat, is all I’m saying?” Tapper replied. “You don’t think it is a threat?”

“I think we’re making great progress reducing carbon emissions, America has the cleanest air and water in the world,” Pence said, echoing remarks Trump said at a rally earlier this month.

Tapper shot back, saying Pence’s statement was inaccurate before noting that the Trump administration has rolled back many environmental regulations imposed by the Obama administration.

WATCH:

TAPPER: Do you think climate change is a threat?

MIKE PENCE: America has the cleanest air and water in the world

TAPPER: That's not true

PENCE: Ahh, but we're making progress on reducing carbon emissions pic.twitter.com/u5hUxFpE6P

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 23, 2019