On 5/12/2022, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was grilled on the baby formula shortage. Baby formula is out of stock in stores across the United States, 40-50% of baby formula is out of stock. The Biden Admin is shipping pallets of baby formula to US border facilities while American babies go hungry.
“On the formula shortage…you said that this is been something that’s been in the works for several months, mostly through the FDA. When was the first time the President was briefed on the shortage?” CBS’ Ed O’Keefe asked Psaki. “I’m not going to get into internal briefings,” Psaki said. Ed O’Keefe followed up: “Has there been any consideration of using the Defense Production Act?”
“There are a range of options, including that, under consideration, Ed, but I would note the issue here is that a manufacturer was taken offline,” Psaki said. “He would have known about this before this week? It wasn’t like this suddenly popped up?” Ed O’Keefe asked in another follow-up question. Psaki: “This is something the administration has been working on for some time now.”
Psaki defended President Biden calling his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, “the great MAGA king.” Psaki was asked by Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich whether the president’s comments were unifying. “Well, I would say that the president is not afraid to call out what he sees as extreme positions that are out of line with where the American people stand,” Psaki responded. And whether that is supporting a tax plan that will raise taxes on 75 million Americans making less than $100K a year, or whether it is supporting.”
Biden on 5/11/2022 unveiled his “great MAGA king” nickname for Trump during an event last week. “Under my predecessor — the great MAGA king — the deficit increased every single year he was president,” he said.
Asked what parents should do if they can’t find formula, Psaki says call a doctor. Reporter asked, “I’m just wondering: If you’re a parent today and you go to the store, you can’t find any formula on the shelves, as is being reported across the country, what is the step that they should take? What is the administration’s guidance on the immediate step that they should take? Is there a hotline that they can call? Should they take a baby to the hospital? What should they do?”
Psaki: Well, I would say those are important public health questions … we’re doing to address exactly that concern, which is taking every step we can to ensure there is supply on store shelves, and we have increased the supply over the last four weeks … But beyond that, that’s what I can read out for all of you from here.
Reporter: Since you said it was a public health question, which agency should that question be directed to — just the very practical, immediate question of: If you can’t find formula and you need it for your baby to eat, what should they be doing?
Psaki: We would certainly encourage any parent who has concerns about their child’s health or wellbeing to call their doctor or pediatrician.
Psaki would not say if President Biden “could have done more” on nationwide baby formula shortage. A reporter asked, “It does seem like we should have seen this coming that maybe the FDA could have done more on the baby formula shortage. The whistleblower who used to work at that Sturgis plant warned the FDA top officials about safety concerns in October, but they didn’t interview that whistleblower until December. The inspection was until January 31st. The recall happened February 17th. So is that timeline acceptable to the White House? And if not, what is the White House doing to correct that at the FDA?”
Psaki: I’m sure there will be plenty of time to take a look at if there are any issues that could have been improved here. I don’t have any specific analysis of that at this moment in time. What I will note is that there has been work ongoing on this for months. That’s how we increase the supply and how we’re able to, you know, increase the sales based on the month of April overall. But there’s more that needs to be done.
Psaki fumbles answer on why Biden Admin cancelled domestic oil leases amid energy crisis. Reporter asked, “AAA is saying, you know, record-high nominal gasoline prices again today, but Americans are also seeing news about oil leases and auctions not going forward. What was the administration’s thinking on not having those auctions?”
Psaki: Well, the Department of Interior, who — they have put out some comments on this. And what they have made quite clear is that the Cook Inlet cancellation, which you’re referring to, was due to a lack of industry interest. And the Gulf sales were as a result of delays due to a number of factors, including conflicting court rulings.
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Psaki: baby formula shortage could have done more/sooner or call doctor? When was first time Biden briefed? Calling great MAGA king unifying.