A Fox News reporter on Monday challenged White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki to explain what President Joe Biden will do about the thousands of workers expected to lose their jobs as a result of his executive order canceling the Keystone XL pipeline.
The moment: Fox News White House Press Correspondent Peter Doocy alluded to Biden’s vow to replace employment losses through environmentally-friendly “green jobs.”
- “When is it that the Biden administration is going to let the thousands of fossil fuel industry workers, whether its pipeline workers or construction workers who are either out of work or will soon be out of work because of Biden’s EO, when it is and where it is that they can go for their green jobs?” Doocy said.
- “Well, I’d certainly welcome you to present your data of all the thousands and thousands of people who won’t be getting green jobs,” Psaki replied. “Maybe next time you’re here you can present that.”
- Doocy shot back: “But you said that they would be getting green jobs, so I’m just asking when that happens?”
The context: Biden revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office, halting its construction.
- “Leaving the Keystone XL pipeline permit in place would not be consistent with my Administration’s economic and climate imperatives,” Biden said in his executive order.
- The Laborers’ International Union of North America said in a statement last month that Biden’s order would result in the immediate loss of 1,000 union jobs and 10,000 additional construction jobs.
- Many on the right have criticized the Biden administration’s response to workers concerned about losing their jobs as cavalier and condescending.
