Biden confronts GOP on gas price criticism by questioning their support of Ukraine

President Biden on Wednesday pushed back on Republican lawmakers who lay the blame for high gas prices squarely on his administration by asking if they would have rather not supported Ukraine in its war with Russia.

“For all those Republicans in Congress criticizing me today for high gas prices in America, are you now saying we were wrong to support Ukraine? Are you saying we were wrong to stand up to Putin?” Biden said in remarks at the White House.

Rising gas prices have been exacerbated by the war in part due to the disruption it has caused on global energy markets due to sanctions placed on the Kremlin by the Biden administration and Western Europe.

The president in his remarks on Wednesday officially backed the suspension of both federal and state taxes on gasoline. The effort to suspend the federal gas tax, which is 18 cents per gallon, would likely face challenges in Congress and has already drawn skepticism from GOP lawmakers.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers have made a rare show of unity in their support of Ukraine, particularly when it comes to sending billions in U.S. military and monetary aid to help Kyiv fight off the ongoing Russian offensive.

 “Are you saying that we would rather have lower gas prices in America than Putin’s iron fist in Europe?” I don’t believe that,” Biden said, posing the question toward Republicans. 

Biden called it “nonsense” that Republicans accuse him of not doing enough to bring down gas prices. The president also called on oil refinery companies to take steps to boost productivity in order to help alleviate gas prices. 

Democrats in Congress are also skeptical of the gas tax holiday proposal, which Biden suggested be implemented until September — meaning prices would rise again just two months before midterm elections. 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement shortly after Biden’s speech that the consensus in Congress to pass a gas tax holiday remains to be seen.

“We will see where the consensus lies on a path forward for the President’s proposal in the House and the Senate,” Pelosi said.

Prices at the pump are averaging roughly $5 per gallon across the U.S., which the White House has consistently said is a result of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion into Ukraine and the disruption to the global energy markets it has caused.

“We could have turned a blind eye to Putin’s murderous ways and the price of gas wouldn’t have spiked the way it has. I believe that would have been wrong,” the president said.

“I promise you I’m doing everything possible, everything possible to bring the price of energy down, gas prices down,” he added. “And I want to make sure we all work on this together.”