Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned that former President Trump would raise gas prices by enabling foreign energy producers to "price gouge." ((Left: REUTERS/Brian Snyder, Right: REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger) )
Ocasio-Cortez turned the conversation to gas prices, warning voters that Trump would raise prices by enabling foreign energy producers to "price gouge."
"But even on the economic point, we just saw that the former president met with oil executives last week saying, hey, you give me $1 billion, and I'll make sure that you get the policies that are favorable to raising gas prices and making sure that a lot of these companies continue to price gouge without proper oversight or regulation," Ocasio-Cortez said.
"And so the idea that we'd be bringing those down when he's cashing in for those same folks that are bringing those prices up, I think is a little bit suspect," she added.
A gas pump shows prices at a Shell station on May 15, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Inflation has cooled from a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022, but has remained persistent, with prices climbing 3.5% year-over-year in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national average for a gallon of gas has also dropped from its June 2022 peak when it surpassed $5, but that's been rising steadily since March, according to AAA.
The sticker shock at the pump should soften after the White House announced on Tuesday the release of over 1 million barrels of gasoline from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve.
"The Biden-Harris administration is laser-focused on lowering prices at the pump for American families, especially as drivers hit the road for summer driving season,″ Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.
A sign displays gas prices at a gas station on May 21, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois. President Joe Biden has said he will release 1 million barrels of gasoline from the strategic reserve to help reduce prices ahead of the July 4th holiday and summer driving season. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Oil will be pumped from storage facilities in New Jersey and Maine, releasing 100,000 barrels at a time.
Officials say the staggered release will ensure competitive pricing and effective delivery to retailers ahead of the summer holiday season.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and the Trump campaign for comment.
Fox News Digital's Megan Meyers and Timothy Nerozzi contributed to this report.
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.
She is a native of Massachusetts and is based in Orlando, Florida.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to sarah.rumpf@fox.com and on X: @s_rumpfwhitten.
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