CNN commentator Van Jones praised President Donald Trump over his initiatives on criminal justice reform after Trump slammed former Vice President Joe Biden’s past positions on the issue.

Jones views the debate over criminal justice reform as progress for an issue that he has championed in the past. (RELATED: CNN’s Van Jones Calls Trump ‘Loudest Champion On Criminal Justice’ Following Senate Vote)

“This is historic,” Jones said. “We now have the President of the United States and a Democratic front-runner competing on who can be the best on criminal justice reform.”

Jones worked with the Trump White House to pass the “First Step Act,” last year, which allows non-violent criminals to get out of prison earlier by way of increased “earned time credits.”

“We’ve got to give Trump credit where credit is due,” Jones said. “He did fight hard to pass the bill and he made it possible for other Republicans to also be in the pro-criminal justice camp.”

Jones also said that Biden will have to answer for his previous tough-on-crime stance on the campaign trail, such as his support for the 1994 crime bill, which Jones claims accelerated mass incarceration in the United States.

“He’ll have to come to terms to that, and he’ll have to just get his legs under him on that,” Jones said of Biden.

WATCH:

Trump attacked Biden for his past positions on crime during a tweet storm Monday, adopting left-wing talking points to attack the former vice president for his past positions on crime.

“Anyone associated with the 1994 Crime Bill will not have a chance of being elected. In particular, African Americans will not be [a]ble to vote for you. I, on the other hand, was responsible for Criminal Justice Reform, which had tremendous support, and helped fix the bad 1994 Bill!” Trump wrote.

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