In January 2020, President Donald Trump declared that America was energy independent. Two years later, America’s gas prices are spiking, and the nation finds itself dependent on oil exports from Russia. In an attempt to remedy the situation, President Joe Biden is considering brokering a new deal with Saudi Arabia.
According to Axios, Biden’s advisers are considering a presidential trip to Saudi Arabia to mend fences and offset losses resulting in sanctions against Russia.
Price increases at the gas pump are especially painful as most already feel inflation’s impact on most goods and services.
Some commend Biden’s possible overture to the Saudis. Other note that Biden administration policies caused the economic reversals championed by Trump. ThisNation drew a straight line between the following Biden actions and the difficult position America finds itself in today:
- The administration halted new oil and gas leases on federal onshore lands such as national parks and offshore waters (however, this did not affect tribal lands)
- The administration directed the Secretary of the Interior to consider adjusting coal, oil, and gas royalties to “account for corresponding climate costs”
- The administration suspended new leases, contracts, and drilling permits for at least 60 days
- The administration withdrew the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline
Joe Biden has repeatedly declared that “climate change is the greatest threat” to the country. His administration’s attacks on the fossil fuel industry have invited the condemnation of many—first for price hikes and recently, for the hypocritical approach to sanctions on Russia, which, due to our vulnerability and reliance on importing oil, forces America to keep the trade door open with the belligerent nation.
Some suggest that shifting our reliance on oil from Russia to Saudi Arabia will solve our problems. However, Saudi has its own human rights issues, and America’s relationship with Saudi Arabia cooled after crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, apparently approved the killing of Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi.
After Biden released an unclassified report concluding that MBS was complicit in the crime, the crown prince made clear he does not want the West interfering in his affairs and delivered an icy message in an interview with The Atlantic.
“We don’t have the right to lecture you in America,” MBS said. “The same goes the other way.”
Also complicating matters is Biden’s interest in dropping sanctions and rebuilding relations with Iran, whose proxies in the region continue to attack Saudi interests with missiles, drones, and suicide bombers.
Saudi is concerned that American weakness will embolden Iran to pursue the development of a nuclear bomb.
“We do not want to see a weak nuclear deal because the result will be the same in the end,” MBS said, according to Reuters.
At this time, the White House is not confirming whether or not Biden will travel to Saudi Arabia.
“We don’t have any international travel to announce at this time, and a lot of this is premature speculation,” an administration spokesperson told Axios.
It is rumored the White House is also exploring energy options with Venezuelan officials.
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