President Joe Biden is being accused of a quid pro quo after Saudi Arabia alleged Wednesday that Biden used U.S. resources for political gain when he asked OPEC+ to wait one month before slashing output.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued a statement Wednesday claiming that the Biden administration pressured OPEC+ to delay oil production cuts until November.
OPEC+’s oil production cut would have occurred just days before the midterm election, potentially hurting the president’s Democratic Party at the polls. The White House rejected the claim that Biden’s request was politically motivated, with National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson saying it was “categorically false to connect this to U.S. elections,” according to NBC News.
“It’s always been about the impact on the global economy and impact on families at home and around the world, especially as Putin wages his war against Ukraine,” Watson added.
OPEC+ announced on Oct. 5 they would slash output by two million barrels per day, prompting the White House to threaten consequences for Saudi Arabia.
“There’s going to be some consequences for what they’ve done with Russia,” Biden said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. “I’m not going to get into what I’d consider and what I have in mind. But there will be — there will be consequences.”
Democratic Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez called on Monday for the Biden administration to cut off arms sales to Saudi Araba until they reassess their decision to cut oil production, a proposal the Saudis cited in their statement.
While Biden’s threats to Saudi Arabia came after OPEC+ made their announcement, some are alleging that Biden is guilty of a quid pro quo. Federalist Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway compared the situation to former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, when Democrats accused him of delaying military aid to Ukraine in exchange for damaging information about Hunter Biden. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 52-48 against convicting him of abuse of power and 53-47 against convicting him of obstruction of Congress. 67 votes were required to convict Trump on either charge.
“By the standards media and other Democrats set with their Ukraine impeachment, this is grounds for IMMEDIATE impeachment and conviction,” Hemingway tweeted.
By the standards media and other Democrats set with their Ukraine impeachment, this is grounds for IMMEDIATE impeachment and conviction: “Saudis say Biden asked to hold oil production cut until after midterms” https://t.co/Dq8ut2SgE8 via @nypost
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) October 13, 2022
In response to Hemingway, radio host Hugh Hewitt tweeted that he “hadn’t thought of this b/c the whole ‘quid pro quo’ nonsense was absurd from the start.”
“But perhaps some ‘brave patriot’ w/I NSC will leak the details of the Biden attempt to politicize national security? Unlike Zelensky denying attempt, Saudis are confirming the attempt,” he added.
Hadn’t thought of this b/c the whole “quid pro quo” nonsense was absurd from the start. But perhaps some “brave patriot”w/i NSC will leak the details of the Biden attempt to politicize national security? Unlike Zelensky denying attempt, Saudis are confirming the attempt. https://t.co/QayXuSCg7F
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) October 13, 2022
The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro also likened Biden’s alleged request and subsequent threats to Trump’s first impeachment.
“So Joe Biden refuses to say whether he would support cutting off arms supplies to Saudi Arabia after the Saudis rejected his request to increase oil supply in a slowing economy — a request made for a specified period of time, until right after the election,” Shapiro tweeted.
So Joe Biden refuses to say whether he would support cutting off arms supplies to Saudi Arabia after the Saudis rejected his request to increase oil supply in a slowing economy — a request made for a specified period of time, until right after the election.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) October 13, 2022
“This looks an awful lot like the president of the United States threatening to remove weaponry from a purported ally unless that ally performs actions that help the president politically in advance of an election,” he continued. “Wasn’t Trump impeached for that?”
This looks an awful lot like the president of the United States threatening to remove weaponry from a purported ally unless that ally performs actions that help that president politically in advance of an election. Wasn’t Trump impeached for that?
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) October 13, 2022
