Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich challenged press secretary Jen Psaki directly during Thursday’s briefing, asking whether or not the United States was effectively “financing the war” Russia continues to wage against Ukraine.
Heinrich suggested that as long as the sanctions imposed did not attack the energy sector and United States continued to purchase oil and gas from Russia, Americans would be indirectly financing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war every time they filled up their gas tanks.
WATCH:
.@JacquiHeinrich: "As long as we're buy Russian oil, though, aren't we financing the war?"
Psaki: Well, Jacqui, again, it's only about 10% of what we're importing. I've not made any announcement about any decision on that front." (5/5) pic.twitter.com/lxdRHAm1ZX
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 3, 2022
“As long as we’re buying Russian oil, though, aren’t we financing the war?” Heinrich asked.
“Well, Jacqui, again, it’s only about 10% of what we’re importing. I’ve not made any announcement about any decision on that front,” Psaki replied.
Heinrich also asked about President Joe Biden’s strategy to fix inflation — namely his contention that manufacturers should increase production in the United States to drive prices down — and pressed Psaki on why the administration would not apply the same logic to energy production.
“On gas, you just said less supply raises prices, it’s not in our strategic interest to reduce the supply, we also know the president as recently as yesterday talked about increasing domestic manufacturing to bring down prices on inflated items like goods, so why not apply the same logic to energy and increase domestic production here?” Heinrich asked.
WATCH:
JACQUI TIME: "You just said…it's not in our strategic interest to reduce the supply, we also know [Biden]…talked about increasing domestic manufacturing to bring down prices on inflated items…Why not apply the same logic to energy and increase domestic production here?" pic.twitter.com/5kdDQ0mXpS
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 3, 2022
“Well, there are 9,000 approved oil leases that the oil companies are not tapping into currently, so I would ask them that question,” Psaki replied.
Heinrich continued to press, asking whether moving forward with the Keystone XL Pipeline and adopting more energy-friendly policies might have a positive impact on the still-rising oil prices.
“The Keystone pipeline has never been operational. It would take years for that to have any impact,” Psaki objected.
WATCH:
.@JacquiHeinrich: "Do you think that opening the Keystone pipeline and having more energy-friendly policies might do that?"
Psaki: "The Keystone pipeline has never been operational. It would take years for that to ever have any impact." pic.twitter.com/e4Ju2hGO9B
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 3, 2022
“During those years where it would take to bring down prices as you’re saying, we should just continue to buy Russian oil?” Heinrich pressed again.
Psaki continued to tout the steps the administration had already taken, including releases from the strategic petroleum reserve that added up to a few days’ worth of American oil consumption.
“Well, Jacqui, I think you’re familiar with a number of steps we’ve taken. A historic release from the strategic petroleum reserve,” Psaki said.
“But that didn’t bring down prices, last time or this time,” Heinrich objected.
“Well, let me finish, what we can do over time is — and what this all a reminder of in the president’s view, is our need to reduce our reliance on oil,” Psaki said, giving no indication that the White House had any plan that would alleviate the pain of high prices at the pump and immediately pivoting to say that the only real solution was for the United States and Europe to double down on green energy and prevent the current situation from happening again in the future.