Joe Biden uses teen TikTok stars to blame rising petrol costs

Joe Biden has shamelessly used TikTokers to blame rising prices on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, despite the fact that it has been a severe issue for months before the war began.

The White House convened a zoom briefing for roughly 30 notable online individuals, who immediately took to social media to discuss what the White House had briefed them on.

Ellie Zeiler, an 18-year-old with over 10 million followers, is one of them. She later did as she was requested with a pro-Biden video.

‘Why is petrol so expensive?’ she said in a video shared to her profile.

It’s unclear whether any of the influencers were compensated for their efforts, but they were approached because of their work with the organisation Gen Z for Change.

Zeiler did not hide the fact that she had communicated with the Biden Administration while filming the video.

‘Why is gasoline so costly, and why is the US inflation rate at a four-decade high?’ The video begins.

‘I got the opportunity to ask the White House why petrol is $7 down the street, and this is what they responded.’

‘The first and most obvious explanation is that we are nearing the end of a two-year epidemic. When demand rises, so does the price.

‘However, the call was mostly about Ukraine and Russia, so how does it relate?’ she inquired.

‘Russia is one of the top three producers of oil, and it is their primary source of money. Nobody wants to deal with Putin or do international trade now that he has started this awful conflict between Ukraine and Russia.’

Zeller, who released her one-minute video on Sunday, was one of 30 TikTok stars who attended a Zoom meeting with White House officials and National Security Council workers last Thursday, according to the Washington Post.

They disseminated the Biden message after inflation was announced last week to have jumped by 7.9 percent year on year, the largest increase in 40 years. The cost of living has been rising for months, with the most recent reporting period ending only four days after Putin invaded Ukraine, implying that Americans should brace themselves for much higher hikes in April.

The president is anxious to transfer the blame for the deteriorating economy as his personal support numbers plummet, with this November’s midterm elections expected to be a disaster for his Democratic Party.

According to the Post, the White House briefing was led by Matt Miller, a special advisor for communications at the White House National Security Council, and Psaki.