Only 31% Approved of Biden on Inflation. Jean-Pierre: 'Nothing Wrong With the President's Policy' (February 27, 2023)

A new Fox News poll had just found that only 31% of voters approved of President Joe Biden’s handling of inflation. A reporter asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre whether the problem was the message or the policy. “So, look — first of all, no, there’s nothing wrong with the President’s policy,” she said [1].

Then she blamed the pandemic, “the last administration” and “Putin’s war” [1].

The video above shows the exchange from the Feb. 27, 2023, White House briefing. Quotes are from the official transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

”Shocker”

“I want to ask about the economy,” the reporter began. “Shocker. (Laughs.)” Jean-Pierre replied. “It is shocking, I know. I know,” the reporter said [1].

Then came the numbers. “So, a new Fox News poll shows that only 36 percent of voters approve of the President’s handling of the economy; 31 percent approve of the inflation — the way he’s handling inflation. Are voters just not getting the right message? Or is there something wrong with the President’s policies?” [1]

The poll was real, and it was worse than that. “Biden’s worst job ratings continue to be on inflation, with 31% approving. And that’s a high point — approval went as low as 23% in June 2022,” Fox News reported. “Some 57% say they have less money in their pocket than they did a year ago” [2].

The survey of 1,006 registered voters was “Conducted February 19-22, 2023, under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R)” [2].

”Nothing Wrong With the President’s Policy”

Jean-Pierre started with COVID. “Once-in-a-generation pandemic, which really put — put the economy, as you know, into a tailspin,” she said [1].

“And the President, when he walked in, there was — the last administration did not have a comprehensive plan on how to deal with COVID and how to make sure that we were getting people shots in arms — as simple as that; how do we get the economy back on its feet,” she said. “And so that’s what the President did. He got the economy back on its feet” [1].

She did concede one point. “Now, look, obviously, inflation is still too high,” Jean-Pierre said. “But we believe that the President’s economic policy is working. And all you have to do is look at the data” [1].

”Shots in Arms”

The shots had started more than a month before Biden took office. On Dec. 15, 2020, President Donald Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, opened her briefing this way: “Yesterday, the United States witnessed a medical miracle: The first doses of a COVID vaccine were administered to frontline workers across the country” [3].

“Through Operation Warp Speed, President Trump, the businessman and the President, as the innovator, has succeeded,” McEnany said. “President Trump also directed industrial-scale manufacturing of vaccines to take place at its own risk before knowing whether these vaccines would be successful” [3].

”Putin’s War”

Jean-Pierre also blamed Russia. “And let’s not forget, we had the — Putin’s war. Right? We have Putin’s war that increased gas prices, that helped increase inflation,” she said [1].

But inflation was already at its highest level in nearly 40 years before Russia invaded. On Feb. 10, 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that consumer prices “rose 7.5 percent for the 12 months ending January, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending February 1982” [4].

Russia attacked two weeks later. “The Russian military has begun a brutal assault on the people of Ukraine without provocation, without justification, without necessity,” Biden said on Feb. 24, 2022 [5].

”When Can Those People Expect…?”

The reporter followed up. “So when does the President then tell those people whose wages are rising but rising less than inflation is rising — when can those people expect their wages to outpace inflation?” [1]

Jean-Pierre gave no date. “So, look, we have — we have talked about this many times, that we are headed into a more stable and steady growth,” she said, adding that “there might be some setbacks at times” [1].

Then she turned on Republicans. “And then we have Republicans who want to do the complete opposite. They want to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act,” she said. “Meanwhile, Republicans are trying to reverse the work that we have been trying to do over the last two years” [1].

”Why Is the Administration Choosing to Keep That Assessment Classified?”

Just before the economy question, a reporter she called Joey asked about COVID’s origins. “Following up on that, are there any plans for the administration to release an unclassified version of the Energy Department’s origins — COVID origin report? And if not, why is the administration choosing to keep that assessment classified?” [1]

“So, again, I’m going to just repeat my National Security Council colleague who said that he doesn’t — don’t want to get ahead of — or, you know, don’t want to confirm a story. So I’m not — certainly not going to answer that from here,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

“So does the administration first need to find a consensus before releasing some of these assessments? Or, you know, why not put out what — everything that you’ve found so far?” the reporter asked. “Well, I think it’s basically what we’ve been saying. There has been no consensus, so I think they’re working through that,” she said [1].

For the FBI director’s lab-leak comments and Kirby’s answer weeks later, see HYGO News’ page on March 21, 2023.

”Full Confidence in the Secretary of HHS”

The briefing opened with new steps against child labor involving unaccompanied migrant children. “Child abuse — child labor is abuse, and it is unacceptable,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

The first question was about the official in charge of placing those children. “So, a follow-up on the child labor issue. Is the administration, is the President satisfied with Secretary Becerra’s handling of this issue, given the push that he and others have made to more quickly re- — release children to sponsors, where they wind up in child labor situations?” a reporter she called Chris asked [1].

“So, let me first say: Yes, he has full confidence in the Secretary of HHS. And I’m assuming you’re — you’re talking about the ‘assembly line’ comment or —” Jean-Pierre said. “Of course, the President does not believe that — that processing migrants should be treated like an assembly line, and neither does Secretary Becerra.” [1]

“Who Is Being Held Accountable?”

Another reporter asked what prompted the crackdown. “To follow up on the child labor violations: First, is the crackdown in direct response to the investigative reporting that came out over the weekend?” [1]

“So, I just want to be very clear here. Look, the New York Times story is heartbreaking and it is completely unacceptable. And this is something that we have taken action on,” Jean-Pierre said. She also blamed Congress for a budget that “fell short by $50 million,” saying the shortfall “prevented the department from hiring nearly 200 additional staffers to combat these violations.” [1]

The reporter pressed. “So, apart from lack of money, lack of resources, is there any agency, anyone who should be held accountable for the failure of oversight that led to this situation in the first place? And who is being held accountable?” [1]

Jean-Pierre named no one. “Look — so, here’s the thing: We’ve taken action to try and deal with a real issue — a really true issue that was exacerbated, let’s not forget, by the last administration. And so, that’s what we walked into,” she said [1].

”Boosted SNAP Benefits”

A reporter Jean-Pierre called Karen asked about food stamps. “Karine, on the boosted SNAP benefits that are going to expire this week, what’s the administration’s message to the Americans who are going to really feel the brunt of this once these expire?” [1]

“So, as you know, Karen, Con- — as you just mentioned, Congress made the decision back in December to allow pandemic-era benefits to expire next month,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

She pointed to an earlier change. “And also, as a reminder, USDA updated the Thirty Food Plan [Thrifty Food Plan], resulting in SNAP benefits increasing by an average of $36.30 per person per month, beginning October 2021,” she said [1].

“This SNAP benefit increase lifted — increase lifted an estimate 2.3 million people out of poverty, including nearly 1 million children, with an average of — with, I should say, an even greater impact on children of color,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

“Is the President planning any executive action once these expire? Should we expect that coming soon?” the reporter asked. “So, I don’t have any executive actions to announce at this time,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

By the Numbers

31%: voters who approved of Biden on inflation in the February 2023 Fox News Poll [2].
$36.30: the average monthly SNAP increase per person from the 2021 food plan update, per Jean-Pierre [1].
36%: voters who approved of him on the economy [2].
57%: voters who said they had less money in their pocket than a year earlier [2].
7.5%: the 12-month inflation rate in January 2022, before Russia invaded Ukraine [4].
Dec. 14, 2020: the day the first COVID vaccine doses were given, under Trump [3].

What Happened Next

Voters had their say. In the 2024 election, Trump won the presidency with 312 electoral votes to Kamala Harris’ 226, according to the National Archives [6].

Republicans did roll back the subsidies. On July 4, 2025, Trump signed H.R. 1, the reconciliation package, into law as Public Law 119-21 [7]. Its energy chapter is titled “Ending Green New Deal Spending, Promoting America-First Energy, and Other Reforms,” under a subchapter called “Termination of Green New Deal Subsidies.” It ended the clean vehicle credit for vehicles “acquired after September 30, 2025” [7].

Republicans rewrote SNAP’s rules, too. The same law includes “Sec. 10101. Re-evaluation of thrifty food plan” and “Sec. 10102. Modifications to SNAP work requirements for able-bodied adults.” Under the new exceptions, SNAP’s work requirement for able-bodied adults does not apply to someone who is “under 18, or over 65, years of age” or “a parent or other member of a household with responsibility for a dependent child under 14 years of age.” [7]

For Biden’s top economist on when wages would catch up with prices, see HYGO News’ page on Cecilia Rouse.