White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre backtracked Monday after slamming reporting on the Line 5 pipeline in Michigan as “inaccurate,” admitting that the administration is indeed exploring the potential impact of shutting it down amid a global energy crisis.
Jean-Pierre made the comment during the White House daily press briefing in response to Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy, who asked why the Biden administration is “now considering shutting down the Line 5 pipeline from Canada to Michigan” while oil and gas prices continue to skyrocket.
“So, Peter, that is inaccurate,” Jean-Pierre fired back. “That is not right. So any reporting indicating that some decision has been made, again, is not accurate.”
“What’s inaccurate?” Doocy asked.
“The reporting about us wanting to shut down the Line 5,” Jean-Pierre responded.
“I didn’t say ‘wanting,’” Doocy said. “I said, is it being studied right now? Is the administration studying the impact of shutting down the Line 5?
“Yes, we are. We are,” Jean-Pierre replied. “I thought you were saying that we were going to shut it down, but that is not inaccurate. The Army Corps of Engineers is preparing an environmental impact to look through this.”
