'Asking nicely hasn’t worked': Climate activist cuts off KJP over oil and gas leases

Footage of a 21-year-old progressive activist confronting White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is going viral after the young woman demanded the Biden administration put an end to oil and gas leasing programs.

Jean-Pierre was delivering remarks at a Voters of Tomorrow summit when Elise Joshi, executive director of the nonprofit Gen-Z for Change, interjected.

"Excuse me for interrupting," Joshi said, "but asking nicely hasn't worked out. A million young people wrote to the [Biden] administration pleading not to prove a disastrous oil drilling project in Alaska, and we were ignored," she added.

"So I'm here channeling the strength of my ancestors and generation... Will the administration stop approving new oil and gas projects and align with youth, science, and frontline communities?" she asked.

"I appreciate your courage," Jean-Pierre replied, as Joshi began to cry. "So look, this is an administration, and if you look at this president, you look at the action he's taken: He has taken more action on climate change than any other president."

"He has an ambitious policy—he has, and I don't think you can deny that I think you could agree with everything that he's put forward and that he has done," she continued.

Joshi cut Jean-Pierre off when she tried to focus on the Alaska oil project.

"You have approved multiple projects since then and more at a faster rate than the Trump administration. We need you to act on your campaign promises," she urged.

Last year it was reported that permitting increased under Biden, but he has also nixed several projects and has increasingly pushed a transition to green energy.

The exchange was originally posted to Joshi's Twitter where it has amassed over 7.2 million views.

Later in her response, Jean-Pierre said there’s "always more work to be done," and assured that Biden will "continue to be ambitious; he's going to continue to take action."

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