Joe Biden's administration enraged over cut in Opec+ oil output. Details here

US President Joe Biden's administration and allies were outraged by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec+)'s decision to limit oil output, with senior officials viewed the move as a slap in the face of the American president's efforts to restore ties with Saudi Arabia.

The White House stated that it saw the decision by the oil production cartel, in which the plus sign represents Russia's inclusion, as a geopolitical move and a slight to Biden, who is seeking to reduce Russian revenues and keep gasoline prices low ahead of the November congressional elections.

He enraged his fans by visiting Jeddah in July and welcoming Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with a fist bump, despite US intelligence assessments that the kingdom's de facto ruler was behind the 2018 murder of Saudi dissident and Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.


According to a White House spokesman, the announcement clearly shows that Opec+ is aligning with Russia.



In the statement from the national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, and the director of the National Economic Council, Brian Deese, the president was disappointed by the shortsighted decision, while the global economy continues to suffer due to Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Despite Washington's outrage, experts on Saudi Arabia and the oil market questioned the move's implications for an already strained bilateral relationship between the countries.

FAQs

1. What is OPEC +?
   The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), a coalition of the world's top oil-producing countries and its allies known as OPEC+.
2. What was the decision reached by OPEC+?
   The decision was made to reduce the production of oil by 2 million barrels per day (BPD).