Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden admitted during Thursday night’s final presidential debate that he going to end the oil industry if elected president.
“Would you close down the oil industry?” President Donald Trump pressed just before their closing statements.
“I would transition from the oil industry, yes,” Biden replied.
When asked by debate moderator Kristen Welker to clarify his statement, Biden claimed that he wants to shut down the oil industry because it “pollutes significantly” and needs to be “replaced by renewable energy over time.”
“That’s a big statement,” Trump said, slamming Biden for his bold proclamation.
“That may be the biggest statement in terms of business,” Trump said “Basically what he is saying is he is going to destroy the oil industry. Will you remember that Texas? Will you remember that Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Ohio?”
Biden then criticized Trump for subsidizing the oil industry.
“I stopped giving the oil industry federal subsidies,” Biden said. “He won’t give federal subsidies to solar and wind. Why are we giving it to the oil industry?”
“We actually do give solar and wind,” Trump said, correcting Biden.
Earlier in the debate, Biden lied about banning fracking, claiming that he has never opposed it.
“I do rule out banning fracking because we need other industries to get ultimately to complete zero omissions by 2025,” he said.
“Fracking on federal land I said. No fracking on federal land,” Biden continued, but his efforts to scrub his previous statements were made in vain.
Trump, however, fact-checked Biden on the debate stage over his comments
“Excuse me — he was against fracking. He said it,” Trump pointed out. “I will show it to you tomorrow. Until he got the nomination, went to Pennsylvania. But you know what, Pennsylvania, he will be against it very soon because his party is against it.”
Trump is correct. Despite Biden’s claims, both he and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris have expressed interest in banning fracking in the past.
SUPERCUT: Biden promises "no more" fracking if he's elected President. pic.twitter.com/iWcsU2Yam8
— Abigail Jackson 🇺🇸 (@abigailmarone) August 31, 2020
Kamala Harris in a CNN townhall – "There is no question I am in favor of banning fracking,"
She is running on the ticket with Joe Biden. https://t.co/Gvk1iZELnF
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 31, 2020
Biden only recently changed his position on the issue during a campaign visit to Pennsylvania.
Biden discusses his energy plan: "I am not banning fracking. Let me say that again: I am not banning fracking. No matter how many times Donald Trump lies about me." https://t.co/LBywpukq9G pic.twitter.com/B5QXkBoQbt
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 31, 2020
As Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler recently noted in an interview with The Federalist, Biden could claim that he’s against “banning” fracking and still cause serious harm to the oil and gas industry through massive regulations.
“I’ve heard him talking about fracking multiple times, and every time it seems a little different,” Wheeler said. “But you don’t have to ban something if you regulate it to death. And the Obama administration was regulating it to death.”
