(WATCH) Reporter Triggers Psaki, Asks If Biden Is ‘Financing The War’ By Buying Russian Oil, Brings Up Keystone Pipeline (VIDEO)
Jacqui Heinrich, the Fox News White House correspondent hammered press secretary Jen Psaki Thursday, asking if the United States was essentially “financing the war” and Putin.
Heinrich claimed that Biden’s sanctions against Putin were ineffective since the U.S. continues to purchase oil and gas from Russia. He suggested that Americans may be indirectly financing Putin’s war every time they fill up their cars with gas.
Watch the interaction below:
.@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
Heinrich asked, “As long as we’re buying Russian oil, though, aren’t we financing the war?”
Psaki responded, “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.”
He then asked about Biden’s plan to fix inflation, noting that Biden pushed for more U.S. manufacturers to increase production in the United States so prices would go down. Heinrich pressed Psaki as to why that same logic would not be applied 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.
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
Psaki answered, “Well, there are 9,000 approved oil leases that the oil companies are not tapping into currently, so I would ask them that question.”
Heinrich did not relent, but continued, referencing Biden’s ending of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
“The Keystone pipeline has never been operational. It would take years for that to have any impact,” Psaki objected.
.@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
He then asked, “During those years where it would take to bring down prices as you’re saying, we should just continue to buy Russian oil?”
Psaki continued to dodge the question and praise Biden’s energy work, noting releases from the U.S.’s strategic petroleum reserve to help with American oil consumption.
Psaki replied, “Well, Jacqui, I think you’re familiar with a number of steps we’ve taken. A historic release from the strategic petroleum reserve.”
“But that didn’t bring down prices, last time or this time,” Heinrich objected.
Psaki, irritated, answered vaguely, “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.”
Stay tuned to The Scoop for any updates.
