White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was pressed on high gas prices under the Biden Administration, where she would put the blame on oil companies.

Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Psaki said “You guys are blaming Putin for the increase in gas prices recently, but weren’t gas prices going up anyway because of post-pandemic supply chain issues?”

“Well, I think there’s no question that as we have seen outside analysts have conveyed this as well,” said the press secretary, “the increase and the anticipated continued increase, which was I think was what some of your colleagues were asking about, that is a direct result of the invasion of Ukraine. And also there was an anticipation of that. That was, was factored in as gas prices have gone up.”

Doocy replied: “So you say that you’re going to do everything you can to reduce the impacts that high gas prices have on Americans, we’re asking other countries to think about maybe pumping more oil, why not just do it here?”

“Let me give you the facts here, and I know that can be inconvenient, but I think they’re important in this moment,” Psaki said. On the contrary, we have been clear that in the short term supply must keep up with the demand. We are in here, and around the world, while we make the shift to a secure clean energy future. We are one of the largest producers with a strong domestic oil and gas industry. We have actually produced more oil at record numbers and we will continue to produce more oil. There are 9,000 approved drilling permits that are not being used. So the suggestion that we are not allowing companies to drill is inaccurate. The suggestion that that is what is hindering or preventing us prices to come down is inaccurate.”

Doocy then asked if President Biden would rescind his executive order that halts new oil and natural gas leases on public lands, to which Psaki replied: 90 percent of them happen on private lands,” Psaki said, “as I’m sure you know, and there are 9,000 unused, approved drilling permits. So I would suggest you ask the oil companies why they’re not using those if there’s a desire to drill more.”

“Next year, according to the Department of Energy, we will produce more oil than ever before. Those are the facts in terms of oil production… And again right now there are 9,000 unused approved permits to drill onshore,” she would go on to say.