White House aides clap back at GOP Rep Jim Jordan’s gas prices jab

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

The White House has hit back at Republican congressman Jim Jordan after he attacked the Biden administration on the price of gas.

The Ohio lawmaker took to Twitter to try and compare the higher price of fuel in June 2021 to the lower cost during the final year of the Trump administration.

“Average gas price: June 2020: $2.21 June 2021: $3.07,” Mr Jordan tweeted on Monday. “President Biden’s economy!”

The congressman’s social media activity caught the eye of White House press secretary Jen Psaki who shot back at Mr Jordan.

“You forgot to mention that gas prices are the same now as they were in June 2018. Or that this time last year unemployment was 11.1% - today it’s 5.8%,” she tweeted.

“@POTUS agrees families shouldn’t pay more at the pump – that’s why he’s opposed to GOP proposals to raise the gas tax.”

White House chief of staff Ronald Klain also jumped in and defended the administration.

“Gas was cheaper in 2020 because the pandemic limited travel -- and the unemployment rate was over 13%,” he tweeted.

“Today: gas prices are where they were in 2018, unemployment is below 6%, and growth is the highest in 40 years. June 2020 v. June 2021? Happy to have that debate!”

Experts say that the fall in gas prices in 2020 was because of the economic downturn brought on by the global pandemic.

“Generally when demand is as strong as it is, you’re not going to find any discounts,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy told The Hill last week.

“I think there’s going to be some pent up demand numbers here and there throughout the summer and that’s going to influence price.”

Mr De Haan also jumped into the debate pointing out that prices were also high under Mr Trump in June 2018 and June 2019.

“You forgot a few years, so I’ll help,” he tweeted at Mr Jordan.

And he also took issue with Ms Paski’s own statistics on gas prices.

“The same? That’s untrue as well. $2.96/gal in June 2018 does not equal today’s $3.05. The average in June hasn’t fallen under $3,” he tweeted at Ms Psaki.