Brian Deese says Americans should ‘stand firm’ on paying record-high gas prices

Biden economic advisor Brian Deese said that Americans should ‘stand firm’ on paying record-high gas prices because the ‘future of the liberal world order’ is more important. 

‘What do you say to those families that say, ‘listen, we can’t afford to pay $4.85 a gallon for months, if not years?’ the director of the National Economic Council was asked on CNN Thursday.  

‘What you heard from the president today was a clear articulation of the stakes. This is about the future of the Liberal World Order and we have to stand firm,’ he replied. 

Deese added: ‘At the same time, what I would say to that family and Americans across the country is you have a president and an administration that is going to do everything in its power to blunt those price increases and bring those prices down.’

The U.S. cut off all Russian gas after Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, and the European Union followed suit, driving up gas and energy prices the world over. 

After breaching $5 a gallon for the first time ever, gas prices have fallen back to an average of $4.84 as of Friday.

Conservative critics have leaped on the Biden administration for using the term ‘world order.’  

‘What do you say to those families that say, ‘listen, we can’t afford to pay $4.85 a gallon for months, if not years?’ the director of the National Economic Council was asked on CNN Thursday

‘The Biden administration cares more about the liberal world order than American families,’ Former White House Director of Strategic Communications Mercedes Schlapp tweeted.

‘Is Brian Deese a Republican plant? Because this is the easiest midterm ad content I’ve ever seen,’ Republican communicator Matt Whitlock tweeted. 

‘The ‘Liberal World Order’ we need to wake up and realize what we really are up against. Biden is nothing more than a puppet for the radical left,’ Fox News contributor Sara A. Carter tweeted.

During a Thursday press conference in Madrid, Biden was repeatedly pressed about how long sanctions against Russia and the subsequent sticker shock on products in the U.S. will last. 

‘How long is it fair to expect American drivers and drivers around the world to pay that premium for this war?’ one reporter asked.

‘As long as it takes so Russia cannot, in fact, defeat Ukraine and move beyond Ukraine. This is a critical, critical position for the world,’ Biden responded. ‘I think there’s a lot of things we can do and we will do, but the bottom line is: Ultimately, the reason why gas prices are up is because of Russia. Russia, Russia, Russia.’ 

While the White House has gone to great lengths to label 8.6 percent inflation as ‘Putin’s Price Hike,’ critics have blamed Biden for not doing enough to spur fuel production at home. 

In a speech announcing a three-month gas tax holiday, Biden signaled that Republicans who hit him for high gas prices are suggesting not to support Ukraine. 

‘The American people understood. The American people rose to the moment. The American people did what they always have done: defend freedom around the world. They chose to stand with the people of Ukraine,’ Biden said during a speech calling for a three-month gas tax holiday. ‘So 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? Are you saying that we would rather have lower gas prices in America and Putin’s iron fist in Europe? I don’t believe that.’ 

Gas prices in Martinez, California last week were $6.69 a gallon 

 Biden has taken a number of steps to signal to Americans that he is taking actino on gas prices – tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, writing letters to oil and gas executives blasting them for making record profits and urging them to increase oil production to alleviate gasoline prices.

This month Biden will be traveling to Saudi Arabia to talk gas prices with Crown-Prince Mohammed bin Salman and to attend the GCC+3 Summit, to talk oil and gas with Egypt, Jordan and Turkey. 

Biden also said on Thursday he was going to Jeddah to meet with gulf nations on oil production.

Tensions with Saudi Arabia have been high due to human rights violations and the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. 

Biden said he wasn’t going to ask the king or crown prince to release more oil.

‘I’m not gonna ask to him,’ he said. ‘I hope we see them in their own interest concluding that makes sense to do.’

‘I’ve indicated to them that I thought they should be increasing oil production generically, not to the Saudis, particularly,’ Biden said.