Biden slams Republicans, says some want to keep inflation high ahead of polls

WASHINGTON

US President Joe Biden came out swinging against former President Donald Trump's loyalists on Tuesday, accusing them of slowing government in order to keep inflation high ahead of November's midterm polls.

Biden said he did not anticipate "ultra MAGA" Republicans would "control the Republican Party now," and accused them of counting on voters to be "as frustrated by the pace of progress, which they've done everything they can to slow down, so that you're going to hand power over to them so they can enact their extreme agenda."

"Republicans would offer plenty of blame, but not a single solution to actually bring down the energy prices. They have no plan to bring down energy prices today, no plan to get us to a cleaner energy future tomorrow so in the future American families are no longer subject to the whims of dictators around the world," said Biden.

"I've laid out specific proposals of Congress to bring down the everyday costs many American families face, and that's in addition to the work my administration has already done to lower prices," added Biden.

The president and his administration have repeatedly cast blame on Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine for soaring energy and food costs being felt by Americans at the checkout counter. Prices have also been exacerbated by long-standing issues with the global supply chain that was severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.