Marco Rubio: American Energy Must Compensate for Russian Energy Export Ban

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) told reporters on Tuesday that American energy should compensate for President Joe Biden’s largely symbolic ban of Russian energy exports.

“We can produce more than enough oil to make up for whatever it is we buy from Russia,” Rubio said about the preexisting blockage of Russian energy exports. “I just don’t get it.”

“The only explanation is this religious zealotry on this Green New Deal stuff makes that an impossibility, and it’s going to lead us to a ridiculous policy,” Rubio said after asking why America would instead “go to Saudi Arabia and beg for oil, ask a narco-terrorist [Venezuelan regime] for oil and do an Iran deal with the largest state sponsor of terrorism?”

On Tuesday morning, Biden announced he would ban Russian oil, liquefied natural gas, and coal imports while looking to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro for “energy security.” White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed to reporters Monday the Biden administration is negotiating a boost to Venezuela’s oil production.

I am glad Biden finally cut off the oil from #Russia

Now replace it with American oil pic.twitter.com/6SUfb465QD

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 8, 2022

The Biden administration is also negotiating with Iran to ease sanctions on the “largest state sponsor of terrorism.” Iran is a large oil producer and sells oil to China.

While the West is reportedly splintered on whether to ban Russian energy exports due to the war in Ukraine, a non-NATO ally, China and Russia are allied in their fight against the West.

Russian oil makes up 3% of U.S. oil imports, so the impact of a ban really depends on how many, if any, European countries join…and if there will be secondary sanctions on China and India—both substantial consumers of Russian oil.

— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) March 8, 2022

The manufactured energy crisis comes as Psaki was asked Monday if implementing energy independence initiatives in America would reduce energy prices for Americans faster than implementing unproven renewable energy theories. National average gas prices reached record highs Tuesday.

Psaki responded that renewable energy would more quickly solve the nation’s energy crisis than opening the Keystone Pipeline and permitting oil leases on public lands.

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