Vice President Kamala Harris' top campaign climate adviser is retracting comments she made last week that Harris would not support expanding fossil fuel drilling as president.
“I did not explain myself clearly,” said Camilla Thorndike, head of climate change at Harris Corporation, in a post on X Monday. “Contrary to President Trump's claims, the vice president has not banned fracking, does not support a ban on fracking, and in fact cast a tie-breaking vote on the largest pro-climate change bill in history, A new hydraulic fracturing lease agreement has been opened.”
The comments came after Thorndike said in an interview with Politico last week that the vice president would not “promote” new fossil fuel drilling, and after Harris raised concerns about her previous position on hydraulic fracturing. The comment raised eyebrows because he was trying to soften it.
Harris campaign says she won't support expanded fossil fuel drilling
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on the campus of East Carolina University on October 13, 2024 in Greenville, North Carolina. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“Just to be clear, Vice President Harris hasn't said anything that the administration hasn't already said. She's not pushing for expansion.” [of fossil fuel drilling]. She just said she wouldn't ban fracking,” Thorndike said.
Harris has been under pressure in recent months to clarify her position on energy production, particularly in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, where support for fracking is high.
But Thorndike's comments appeared to run counter to Harris' new themes, including her boasting that the “largest increase in domestic oil production in history” occurred during her time as vice president.
Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris walks out with former U.S. Representative Liz Cheney during a rally at Ripon University on October 3, 2024 in Ripon, Wisconsin. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
Harris says companies must 'pay a price' for climate change, advocates oil production in 2024
“We achieved the largest increase in domestic oil production in history because of an approach that recognized that we cannot be overly dependent on foreign oil,” Harris said during a debate with former President Trump in Pennsylvania. said.
“As Vice President, I am proud to have invested $1 trillion in the clean energy economy over the past four years while contributing to economic growth. domestic gas production “It's reached historic levels,” Harris said.
The campaign's evolving position drew scorn from fossil fuel production advocates, with the American Oil and Gas Association accusing the vice president of “changing his previous position” on social media following Thorndike's initial comments.
U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala speaks at the post-presidential debate watch party with former U.S. president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Cherry Street Pier in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 10, 2024.・Mr. Harris. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
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“So Harris' new position in October was that she was now against hydraulic fracturing, when she changed her position to supporting hydraulic fracturing in July, and then in June, when she was against hydraulic fracturing. “Does that mean you have changed your previous position and no longer support that position? That's it,” the organization said.
The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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