Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy challenged Press Secretary Jen Psaki during Monday’s briefing, asking whether the administration was going to blame Russian President Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine for high oil prices — despite the fact that they were rising long before Russian occupation forces entered Ukraine.
Doocy also asked several times whether President Joe Biden was willing to combat the skyrocketing energy costs by increasing domestic production, a move that many Republicans have been calling for as well.
WATCH:
DOOCY TIME: "It sound like you are blaming Putin for the increase in gas prices recently, but weren't gas prices going up anyway b/c of post-pandemic supply chain issues?"
Psaki says "there's no question that…the increase…is a direct result of the invasion of Ukraine." pic.twitter.com/78dlMbGkNB
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 7, 2022
“It sound like you are blaming Putin for the increase in gas prices recently, but weren’t gas prices going up anyway because of post-pandemic supply chain issues?” Doocy asked.
“Well, I think that there’s no question that as we have seen and outside analysts have conveyed this as well, the increase and the anticipated continued increase, which is I think what some of your colleagues were asking about, that is a direct result of the invasion of Ukraine, and also there was an anticipation of that,” Psaki replied, appearing to suggest that gas prices had only risen prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine because the markets had anticipated it.
“That was factored in as gas prices have gone up,” she added.
Doocy pressed Psaki further on the issue, noting that U.S. officials had called on other oil-producing nations to increase their own domestic production in order to help bring down the cost of oil and gas and asking why, by that same logic, the federal government was not calling for increased domestic production within its own borders at the same time.
WATCH:
Doocy: "[Y]ou say…you're going to do everything you can to reduce the impacts…high gas prices have…We're asking other countries to think about…pumping more oil. Why not just do it here?"
Psaki insists "federal policies are not limiting the supplies of oil & gas" pic.twitter.com/bZGeewR6v9
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 7, 2022
“You say that you’re going to do everything you can to reduce the impact that high gas prices have on Americans,” Doocy pointed out, adding, “We’re asking other countries to think about maybe pumping more oil. Why not just do it here?”
“Well, to be very clear, federal policies are not limiting the supplies of oil and gas,” Psaki pushed back.
Psaki: "Let me finish."
Doocy: "An executive order, his first week halted new oil and gas leases on public land."
Psaki: "Let me give you the facts here & I know that can be inconvenient, but…they're important…There are 9,000 approved…permits…not being used." pic.twitter.com/LkLIL0Cvob
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 7, 2022
“An executive order, his first week halted new oil and gas leases on public land,” Doocy protested.
“Let me give you the facts here and I know that can be inconvenient,” Psaki pushed back, saying that there were “over 9000” leases that had already been granted and that Doocy should take it up with the gas companies if they were not producing enough domestically.
Doocy: "Would President Biden rescind his executive order that halts new oil & natural gas leases on public lands?"
Psaki: "Well, 90% of them have been on private lands…[T]here are 9,000 unused approved drilling permits, so I would suggest you ask the oil companies…" pic.twitter.com/PbETC96jTL
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 7, 2022
Doocy concluded by asking whether Biden would ever consider rescinding the executive order that halted construction on the Keystone XL Pipeline, adding, ”
Doocy: "[G]as prices are approaching an all-time high…How high would they have to get before…Biden would say, 'I'm going set aside my ambitious climate goals &…increase domestic…production, get the producers to drill more…& we can address the fossil fuel future later?" pic.twitter.com/sW4pCP5fHA
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 7, 2022
“Gas prices are approaching an all-time high per gallon. How high would they have to get before President Biden would say, ‘I’m going set aside my ambitious climate goals adjust increase domestic oil production, get the producers to drill more here, and we can address the fossil fuel future later?'” Doocy pressed.
Psaki responded by claiming that U.S. oil production was already on track to reach a record high in the next year.