DeSantis Labels Putin an ‘Authoritarian Gas Station Attendant,’ Calls for US to Increase Oil Production

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is calling for the U.S. to increase its domestic energy production to put a squeeze on Russia’s economy. Speaking to reporters on Monday, DeSantis said, “My view on the whole situation with…

Bradley CortrightMar 1, 20223 min read

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Forbes points out that even when the U.S was exporting energy, it was still importing oil from other countries. Additionally, The Washington Post reports that during President Joe Biden’s first year in office, it appears that the U.S exported more energy than it imported.

Still, conservatives have argued that Biden’s policies have “destroyed American energy independence,” leading to higher energy prices.

Finally, DeSantis said, “Let’s be real. It’s a matter of national security. Yes, of course, it’s a matter of the gas pump. Gas is up 40, 50%. That hurts people. These are people that are working. They have to commute. It just eats up part of their income. So we want lower prices, of course, but we also want to have secure energy supplies and not rely on rogue parts of the world.”

DeSantis’ comments come amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has prompted a conversation about European nations’ energy policies.

Russia provides roughly 40% of Europe’s natural gas imports and a quarter of its oil. As The New York Times notes, “Dependence on the country’s energy supplies, and fears of how a disruption to its exports may increase prices, have made it difficult for other governments to impose sanctions on one of its biggest industries.

Russia is the world’s third-largest oil-producing country.

In 2020, Russia was the largest non-continental source of oil imports for the U.S., accounting for about 6.6% of imports — or 540,000 barrels a day. However, Forbes reports that in 2021, Russia made up 21% of oil imports.