Republicans have criticized him for scolding the U.S. oil industry and pushing for alternative-energy sources even as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has underscored the world’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Mr. Biden has shifted course recently, including announcing that the U.S. would ship more liquefied natural gas to Europe to help countries there reduce their dependence on Russian gas.
That shift, however, drove concerns among progressives who think the Democratic president is stepping back from his campaign promise to transition the U.S. away from fossil fuels. Democrats also have chafed at White House attempts to get authoritarian regimes such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia to produce more oil.
A White House spokeswoman said Mr. Biden “wants to do everything possible and sensible to mitigate” the effect of high energy prices on American families.
“He’s been clear in recent remarks that oil and gas companies should help ensure that oil supply meets demand, and at the same time we need to advance clean energy options and decrease our reliance on fossil fuels,” the spokeswoman said.
Decade-high prices and limited spare capacity give Mr. Biden few places to turn aside from oil companies he has shunned as climate polluters and foreign producers with checkered histories, said Samantha Gross, a fellow specializing in climate and energy at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington.
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