Psaki Gets Testy With Fox News’ Peter Doocy In Tense Back And Forth Over Spiking Gas Prices: ‘Let Me Finish’

On Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki had a heated exchange with Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy over rising gas prices.

The Doocy-Psaki exchanges have become the highlight of any given daily press briefing. 

The latest fireworks happened yesterday afternoon.

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

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Psaki to Doocy: ‘Let me finish’

Doocy asked Psaki on the administration’s reaction to gas prices increasing to over four dollars a gallon across the country. Gas prices have increased rapid over the last year, and this latest spike comes amid the war in Ukraine.

Doocy told the press secretary, “It sounds like you guys 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?” 

Psaki responded, “Well, I think 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 that is a direct result of the invasion of Ukraine.  And also, there was an anticipation of that that was — that was — it was factored in, as gas prices have gone up.”

Doocy wasn’t having it. He followed up:

“So you say that you’re going to do everything that you can to reduce the impact that high gas prices have on Americans.  We’re asking other countries to think about maybe pumping more oil.  Why not just do it here?”

“To be very clear, federal policies are not limiting the supplies of oil and gas to the continent—let me finish,” Psaki replied.

When Doocy interjected, Psaki shot back, “Let me finish.”

Psaki then get testy, stumbling through a reading of talking points in front of her: “Let me give you the facts here and I know that can be inconvenient but they’re important at this moment,” Psaki said. “To the contrary, we have been clear that in the short term supply we must keep up with the demand. We are adhering around the world that we make the shift to secure a clean energy future.”

Doocy then asked if Biden would rescind his executive order that halted new federal leases for oil and gas companies to drill.

Psaki replied, “Well, 90 percent of them happen on private lands, as I’m sure you know. And there are 9,000 unused, approved drilling permits.”

That claim has been disputed by energy industry representatives.

Biden drags feet on Russian oil ban as WH says Keystone XL pipeline is irrelevant https://t.co/B88bmX5JhK pic.twitter.com/bPC36EMCzM

— New York Post (@nypost) March 7, 2022

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The exchange didn’t get any less heated when Doocy asked if Biden would reverse his decision on the Keystone Pipeline, which was expected to carry at least 800,000 barrels of oil per day.

“Are you suggesting that would solve the gas prices issue?” Psaki retorted.

Watch the full exchange: