Karoline Leavitt Slammed for 'Gaslighting' Amidst Oil Price Controversy
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, ignited outrage online after she touted a report showing oil prices plummeting near $70 a barrel.
Critics unleashed fury on social media, accusing the Trump administration of trying to take credit for a return to pre-Iran war oil prices. Leavitt shared an article claiming oil prices had hit their lowest since before the conflict.
Her post declared, "Oil prices drop near $70 a barrel - lowest level since before Iran war." This statement sparked immediate backlash, with many arguing that the administration was celebrating a return to prices that had surged due to the war.
One user shot back, "Let’s see the reflection at the Gas Stations!" Another chimed in, "Whoopty s--t. Caused a war that brought oil prices up. Then surrendered to bring oil prices down? Winning! Not to mention the endless lies coming out of the White House and the admin every single day."
Another critic added, "Sometimes several times a day. Glad we voted for all of you."
A third user remarked, "Wow we went to war to get prices back to where they were before the war. Make this make sense." The vitriol continued with comments like, "All it took was losing a war to Iran! MAGA!"
One particularly scathing reply read, "Did you even graduate from high school @PressSec? Our gas prices skyrocketed because of Trump’s War. Had he not gone to war our gas prices would have remained lower. He can’t take credit for going to war, raising gas prices, losing the war, and lowering gas prices. Stupid!"
On Tuesday, oil benchmarks fell sharply as traders reacted to news that shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz might be easing. Brent crude futures dropped 3.1% to $73.13 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude fell 3.8% to $70.43, briefly dipping below $70 earlier in the session.
This decline followed an announcement from the International Maritime Organization that Iran and Oman would help evacuate over 11,000 stranded seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz. This development raised hopes for stabilizing energy supplies if U.S.-Iran tensions continue to cool. Stock markets responded positively, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing 494 points, or 1%, around midday.
Gasoline prices have seen a downward trend recently, but many drivers report minimal relief at the pump. AAA figures indicate gas prices fell for a sixth consecutive week to $3.93 per gallon, down from a peak of $4.56.
On June 24, President Donald Trump criticized oil companies for not lowering pump prices in line with falling oil costs. He stated, "The big Oil Companies are not dropping their price at the pump commensurate with the sharply lower prices they are paying for Oil. Those prices are dropping like a rock! In other words, customers are being 'gouged.'"
Trump also announced he had instructed the DOJ to investigate this issue further, insisting that gasoline prices must decrease significantly faster than what he was observing.
