U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Friday laughed at a reporter’s question about increasing American domestic oil production, stating: “That is hilarious.”
Bloomberg host Tom Keen’s was asking Granholm about the country’s historically high gas prices.
He asked Granholm, ”What is the Granholm plan to increase oil production in America?"
The energy secretary broke out laughing in response, adding “That is hilarious.”
“Would that I had the magic wand on this,” Granholm said.
She went on to blame OPEC for rising domestic energy costs.
"As you know, of course, oil is a global market,” she said. “It is controlled by a cartel. That cartel is called OPEC, and they made a decision yesterday that they were not going to increase beyond what they were already planning."
Republicans have been harshly critical of the Biden administration for cozying up to OPEC, relying on the global oil cartel to help lower rising gas prices, while stifling domestic oil production.
In June, Biden began implementing widespread changes to domestic energy production that saw major policy shifts in terms of the American government’s relationship with the oil industry.
Using a series of executive orders, Biden has suspended new federal oil leases and terminated the Keystone XL Pipeline project, rejoined the Paris climate agreement, ended subsidies for the fossil fuel industry, and transitioned the government’s fleet to electric vehicles.
Fox Business reported that in August, 24 GOP senators sent a letter to the president stating: “[It is] astonishing that your administration is now seeking assistance from an international oil cartel when America has sufficient domestic supply and reserves to increase output which would reduce gasoline prices."
The letter added: “Your Administration’s domestic oil and gas development policies are hurting American consumers and workers, are contrary to an ‘America First’ energy agenda, and reinforce a reliance on foreign oil.”