President Joe Biden hit back at Chevron CEO Mike Wirth‘s “sensitive” response to his letter excoriating oil firm earnings and irritating assist reducing gas prices.

Last week, the president despatched letters to the heads of seven oil companies — Marathon Petroleum Corp, Valero Vitality Corp, ExxonMobil, Phillips 66, Chevron, BP, and Shell — during which he decried “historically excessive revenue margins” and demanded answers and help. Gasoline prices have been a major driver of the document inflation that has marred an economy that has been getting better from the coronavirus pandemic at a document p.c..

Wirth spoke back with a lengthy letter of his personal on Tuesday by which he referred to as for “a metamorphosis in way” and complained “your Administration has generally sought to criticize, and every now and then vilify, our business. These actions aren’t a good option to assembly the challenges we face and should not what the American people deserve.”

Shortly thereafter, President Biden took questions from the press after his remarks in regards to the newly-approved Covid vaccines for youngsters. Asked about Wirth’s complaint, Biden needled the CEO for getting his “emotions hurt,” and known as for an method that balances increasing provide with “transitioning to renewable power”:

SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER FOR BLOOMBERG NEWS JENNIFER JACOBS: Fast question on the Chevron CEO’s criticism today. He stated that your administration has generally criticized the oil and gas business and every now and then vilified it, and that the administration needs to take a metamorphosis in method to be able to make development on reducing energy prices and to extend provide. Do you’ve a reaction to that, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: He’s mildly sensitive. I didn’t know they’d get their feelings hurt that speedy.

Appear, we need more refining capacity. This idea that they don’t have oil to drill and to carry up seriously isn’t true. This piece of the Republicans talking about, “Biden shut down fields” — fallacious. There are 9,000 of them, okay?

In order that they — we ought so as to work something out whereby they’re able to increase refining capability and nonetheless now not give up on transitioning to renewable energy. They’re both throughout the realm of risk.

On Wednesday afternoon, Biden will give remarks on his name for a gasoline tax holiday.

Watch above via The White Residence.

The put up Biden Hits Again at Chevron CEO Over Gasoline Value Feud During Press Scrum first regarded on Mediaite.