Twitter exploded with criticisms after President Joe Biden — and the official White House account — shared posts on Sunday touting the declining gas prices over the course of the last several months.
President Biden started off the conversation by noting that gas prices at the pump had steadily been declining — since peaking in the month of June — for more than three months. He also noted that prices were down over 25% since that peak.
“As we head into fall, gas prices are down 27 percent over more than 13 straight weeks of declines,” he tweeted.
As we head into fall, gas prices are down 27 percent over more than 13 straight weeks of declines.
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 18, 2022
The official White House account followed a short time later with a tweet adhering to the same narrative.
“Today marks 95 days of dropping gas prices across the U.S.,” the tweet read. “Americans are getting some breathing room at the pump as we continue on the fastest decline in gas prices in over a decade.”
Also included in the White House tweet was a graphic showing some of the details laid out on a fake receipt that boasted across the bottom, “The fastest decline in gas prices in over a decade.”
Today marks 95 days of dropping gas prices across the U.S.
Americans are getting some breathing room at the pump as we continue on the fastest decline in gas prices in over a decade. pic.twitter.com/2eXgZcglWV
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 17, 2022
But critics weren’t ready to buy the narrative, and they took to Twitter to respond. Some noted that the gas prices — despite being much lower than they were in June — were still quite a bit higher than they had been when President Biden was first inaugurated. And others argued that Biden and his administration should not be allowed to take credit for lowering gas prices after spending weeks explaining that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine was raising gas prices and they had no control over that.
“Today’s average national gas price remains 50% HIGHER ~ than the day #Biden raised his right hand (in January 2020) and swore that, as POTUS, he would unite all Americans,” VRWCTexan tweeted.
Today's average national gas price remains 50% HIGHER ~
Than the day #Biden raised his right hand (in January 2020) and swore that, as POTUS, he would unite all Americans. https://t.co/LJkGUVWvU9
— Ultra-MAGA American Tom T. ن® (@VRWCTexan) September 18, 2022
“I was reliably assured Vladimir Putin controlled U.S. gas prices, so why is he doing this?,” @ITguy1959 added.
“White House — Joe Biden isn’t responsible for the gas prices. Also White House — Joe Biden did it! Joe Biden is responsible for gas prices and lowered gas prices. The Biden Administration thinks Americans are stupid,” @GovtsTheProblem tweeted.
“This is like a guy gaining 40 pounds who loses 10 back and brags about never losing this much weight,” Fox News contributor and The Hill columnist Joe Concha observed. “Next-next level gaslighting. And of course, fact-checkers will mostly stay asleep at the wheel.”
this is like a guy gaining 40 pounds who loses 10 back and brags about never losing this much weight. Next-next level gaslighting. And of course, fact-checkers will mostly stay asleep at the wheel. https://t.co/eq9bh4Cntv
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) September 18, 2022