Energy Secretary blames need "to get off of oil and gas" for record-breaking gas prices

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm on Monday has once again angered critics of the Biden administration’s green energy policies by passing off soaring gas prices as part of “an energy transition.”

“The reality is, we have to take some time to get off of oil and gas, we recognize this,” Granholm said, a staunch advocate for President Joe Biden’s green energy initiatives. She even sang about the end of the gasoline and fossil fuels in a 2018 music video.

Granholm also fumbled a question about how many barrels of oil the U.S. consumes on a daily basis during a White House press briefing about Biden’s decision to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve on Tuesday.

“I don’t have that number in front of me,” she admitted.

Critics called Biden’s move political and pointless, pointing out that the Americans used an average of 18 million barrels a day, but Biden had only ordered the release of 50 million barrels – less than three days’ supply.

Traders were unimpressed by the move, with the Associated Press reporting industry stock prices increasing by two percent the day of announcement.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is generally only tapped following emergencies, such as when President Donald Trump tapped it for 5 million barrels after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in 2017.

Granholm drew fire earlier this month when she laughed at a Bloomberg News host’s question about how Biden planned to increase oil production to bring prices down.

“That is hilarious,” Granholm said after recovering. “Would that I had a magic wand!”

Granholm blamed OPEC’s decision against increasing production, while glossing over Biden policies that had made domestic production difficult.

Her behavior drew comparisons to Vice President Kamala Harris who has been lampooned for nervously laughing off tough questions.