US President Joe Biden has been blasted online after suggesting that gas in California has “always” cost $7 per gallon. The comment was made as the government tries to combat the cost-of-living crisis and record inflation with the November midterm elections looming.
The president was asked about the soaring prices when he was leaving a taco restaurant in Los Angeles on Thursday.
“Have you seen gas prices around here in LA? It’s seven bucks a gallon almost,” a frustrated person said.
“Well, that’s always been the case here,” Biden replied and paused. He continued with “no, it’s not,” before pausing again.
He then added: “Nationwide, [gas prices] came down about $1.35, and they’re still down over a dollar. But we’re going to work on housing. It is the most important thing we have to do.”
Many online were baffled by the president’s response, considering that the average gas price in California hit $4.74 per gallon in late February, according to the Los Angeles Times. Last month, the average cost at the pump in the Los Angeles area rose to $5.84, ABC7 reported.
US Senate candidate Mark Meuser tweeted: “I’m sorry Mr. President but California does not usually have $7 gas. In fact, prior to you becoming president, $5 gas in California was considered extremely high.” He added that Biden is out of touch with his own policies that are “destroying this nation.”
“Bidenism at its finest in LA today. High gas prices is a housing problem?” James Gallagher, the Republican Party leader in the California State Assembly, tweeted.
Biden also raised some eyebrows last month after incorrectly stating that 41 US states had an average gas price of less than $2.99 per gallon. In reality, not a single state could boast of that. The White House later acknowledged that the president had misspoken.
Biden has occasionally blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the rising fuel prices, describing inflation as “Putin’s tax.” The US, together with many other Western countries, have been trying to curb Russia’s oil and gas trade in response to Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine that was launched in February.
In August, Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act designed to support Americans amid the rising cost of living.