Former U.S. President, Donald Trump has warned that under the Biden administration, the country’s dependence on foreign oil may increase and energy prices could rise.
Trump made the observation while speaking at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando.
“Under the radical Democrat policies the price of gasoline has already surged 30 per cent since the election and will go to $5, $6, $7 and even higher, so enjoy that when you go to the pump,’’ he said.
Trump also slammed the Biden administration’s decision to return to the Paris climate deal, saying the move ruined his efforts to turn the U.S. into an energy independent country.
The 2015 Paris Climate Accord is the biggest international effort to curb climate change, per which 196 signatory countries collectively pledged to limit global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
“We will now be relying on Russia and the Middle East for oil. The Biden policies are a massive win for other oil-producing countries and a massive loss for the United States,’’ he said.
Additionally, the ex-U.S. president argued that the Democrats could cause an “energy disaster” for America.
To illustrate this, he pointed to the recent blackouts in California and “windmill calamity” in Texas that rode roughshod over the states amid bad weather conditions.
Trump said that wind and solar power are far more expensive than natural gas, not necessarily environmentally friendly, and lack the capacity to adequately fuel U.S. factories.
During the October 2020 election debate, Biden, in response to a question from Trump about whether he would close down the oil sector of the U.S. economy, said that he is planning to “transition from the oil industry” and eventually lead the nation towards renewable energy.
“It is a big statement because the oil industry pollutes significantly. It has to be replaced by renewable energy over time. I’d stop giving to the oil industry, I’d stop giving them federal subsidies’’, the then-U.S. presidential hopeful said at the time.
Trump was quick to respond by claiming that the Democratic nominee said “he is going to destroy the U.S. oil industry’’.
In the address, Trump also urged his supporters to vote out Republicans who support his impeachment, including “grandstanders” like Sens. Mitt Romney and “Little Ben Sasse” and the “warmonger” Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.
“Get rid of them all,” Trump said.
While denying rumours that he is set to establish a new party, Trump also hinted that he may run for the presidency against in 2024.
“I may even decide to beat them for a third time,” he then told his cheering fans, hinting that he might indeed run for a second term in 2024.
The “third” time was a reference to his first election win in 2016 and the false claim that he won in 2020.