Raimondo Tells Nation: “There Isn’t Very Much More to be Done” to Control Gas Prices

Raimondo Tells Nation: “There Isn’t Very Much More to be Done” to Control Gas Prices

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told a national television audience on Tuesday that there is not much more the White House can do to tackle record-high gas prices for Americans.

Raimondo is emerging as a national spokesperson for the Biden administration appearing on the national political talks shows regularly in recent days.

Former Rhode Island Governor Raimondo, appearing on CNN, cast blame on the increasing gas prices on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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"Unfortunately, that is the brutal reality," Raimondo said in response to CNN's Kate Bolduan saying there's not much action left that President Joe Biden can take.

Just two days earlier, appearing on Jack Tapper’s show "State of the Union" on CNN, Raimondo said, “We [the Biden administration] will get inflation under control.”

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"You know, this is, in large part, caused by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's aggression. You know, since Putin move troops to the border of Ukraine, gas prices have gone up over $1.40 a gallon, and the President is asking for Congress and others for potential ideas. But as you say, the reality is that there isn't very much more to be done,” said Raimondo.

Of course, gas prices were rocketing prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.       

The national average price for regular gasoline jumped another five cents on Tuesday to a fresh record of $4.92 a gallon, according to AAA. That's up by 30 cents over the past week and 62 cents in the past month.

In Rhode Island, AAA reported gas prices average gas price is up 23 cents from last week ($4.71), averaging $4.94 per gallon. Some stations are charging more than $5 per gallon.     

On Friday, GoLocal reported that there is growing noise in Washington, D.C. that U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s days are numbered -- and Raimondo is the leading candidate to replace her.

Yellen, a Brown University graduate, has been highly criticized for mismanaging the Biden administration’s response to inflation.

Last week, Yellen said she was wrong last year when she said she anticipated inflation would be "a small risk," "manageable" and "not a problem."