Ted Cruz Slams Biden for Blaming High Gas Prices on Russia: 'Flat-Out Lie'
Texas senator hammers Democrat for claiming the Russian invasion is solely to blame
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Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz has dropped the hammer on Democrat Joe Biden for claiming that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is solely to blame for American skyrocketing gas prices.
Cruz was referring to comments from Biden to reporters on Tuesday saying that gas prices would get worse.
Biden then claimed he is powerless to do anything about it because "Russia's responsible" for the soaring prices.
"They're going to go up," Biden said about gas prices.
"Can't do much right now," he added.
"Russia's responsible."
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Cruz took to Twitter to demolish Biden's claims.
"This is a flat-out lie," Cruz tweeted.
"Gas prices have increased 48% under Biden—BEFORE RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE.
"Biden did that," he added.
This is a flat-out lie.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 8, 2022
Gas prices have increased 48% under Biden—BEFORE RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE.
Biden did that.
That’s bc Biden:
- killed Keystone pipeline.
- froze federal leases.
- shut down ANWR
All, while Biden waived sanctions on Putin’s pipeline. https://t.co/RiBgpX1n9s
He went on to list the policies that Biden pursued which have led to higher gas prices prior to the Russian invasion, including his opposition to the Keystone pipeline, freezing federal oil leases, and shutting down drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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Cruz explained his criticism in a guest appearance on CNBC Tuesday morning where he hammered away at Biden's energy policies.
"It really is striking, in 2019 the United States became a net energy exporter, we are an oil and gas superpower, and yet under Joe Biden last year, for the first time since then America stopped being a net energy exporter, as our production went down," Cruz said.
"And the result of Biden's presidency has been that the enemies of America, countries like Russia, like Iran, like Venezuela, are all getting stronger, getting richer, getting more aggressive, getting more hostile," he continued.
"Because the president is simultaneously weakening our own ability to produce energy and strengthening their ability to produce energy."
WATCH:
NBC reported that the shift in messaging was purposeful by the White House after taking the blame for gas prices and increasing inflation before the invasion.
