‘We’re Trying To State The Facts’: Psaki Pushes Back When Fox News Asks if She’s Blaming Greg Abbott ‘Stunt’ For Inflation

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki pushed back when Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich asked if an earlier statement means the White House is “blaming Greg Abbott for inflation.”

At Wednesday’s press briefing, Heinrich asked Ms. Psaki about a statement released by the White House press office, in which Psaki excoriated the Texas governor over additional truck inspections, and connected his actions to price increases and supply chain issues.

When Heinrich asked if the statement was meant to “blame Greg Abbott for inflation,” Psaki made her case in greater detail:

MS. HEINRICH: And then, on your statement this morning, you had mentioned in that statement that the truck inspections have led — that Governor Abbott has been conducting — have led to disruptions for the food and automobile supply chains and rising prices for families. So is the White House blaming Greg Abbott for inflation?

MS. PSAKI: Well, I think we’re trying to state the facts of what his — another political stunt that we’re seeing happen and the impact of it.

And what we’re seeing is: Right now, factually, there’s over $1 million in trade crossing over the U.S.-Mexico border every minute. These actions are impacting people’s jobs and the livelihoods of hardworking families in Texas and across the country. That’s not a political statement; that’s a statement of fact.

I’d also note that what we’re seeing with these unnecessary inspections of trucks transpor- — transiting ports of entry between Texas and Mexico are significant delays, which are resulting in a drop in commercial traffic of up to 60 to 70 percent in some ports. And that is significantly impacting the local and regional supply chains to the point that trade associations, officials, and businesses are calling for the Texas governor to reverse their self- — this self-inflicted gridlock.

I’d also note that CBP officers are very good at their jobs, and Texas DPS does not need to replace CBP at the southern border. CBP has conducted a record number of drug seizures, with more than 900,000 pounds of narcotics seized just in FY 2021.

So the economic impact here — something that people of all political stripes are calling for a reversal of — is something that we think is significant and we felt should be shouted out.

Watch above via The White House and Reuters.

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