President Joe Biden lashes out at Republicans after being called out for releasing more oil from the reserve ahead of the midterm elections in November.
This comes after the White House announced on Monday that it would be releasing 10 to 15 million more barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in an apparent effort to lower gas prices.
Biden announces further release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. pic.twitter.com/T43P0Esxlk
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 19, 2022
“We need to responsibly increase American oil production without delaying or deferring our transition to clean energy. My administration has not stopped or slowed US oil production,” Biden said in a press conference. “Without the steps we’ve taken over the last several months, gas prices would be higher than they are today.”
A reporter later asked what his response was to Republicans who say he’s doing this for political reasons.
“Where have they been for four months?” Biden answered. “That’s my response.”
That’s when the president lost it when he was pressed on the topic, saying: “No, it’s not! It’s not politically motivated at all! These guys have been asleep, I don’t know where they’ve been.”
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre struggled to defend Biden’s decision when she was asked by a reporter on Tuesday.
“Can you explain why you mentioned that gas prices are going down again so why would the U.S. need another SPR release from that 180 million barrels that you already announced? Why would you need that now if [gas] prices are already dropping?” asked Bloomberg News reporter Jennifer Jacobs.
To which Jean-Pierre responded that Biden is “committed to doing everything to address Putin’s price hike.”
Jacobs then pressed on, asking: “Any response to those who would say or criticizing the White House saying it seems like a ploy ahead of the midterms?”
“Look, should the president not do everything that he can to lower prices? Should he not continue to keep his promise to give American people breathing room?” The press secretary answered.
About one million barrels per day are being released from the SPR through October. The flow is draining the reserve, which last month fell to the lowest since 1986. However, U.S. officials claim that oil prices could be higher if the SPR had not been tapped.
