Biden White House’s most recent departure revealed as architect of ‘Putin price hike’ talking point

The architect of one of President Biden’s panned talking points has been revealed.

“Putin’s price hike” became a frequent talking point throughout 2022 during the Ukraine War and earlier this year. It was often used to deflect criticism away from President Biden’s economic policies and instead blame Russian President Vladimir Putin for high rising inflation in the United States.

On Wednesday, it was revealed in a profile piece that the architect behind the talking point was: now-former White House communications director Kate Bedingfield.

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The Intelligencer reported on Wednesday that multiple administration officials wanted the record to reflect that Bedingfield — who was called out for dodging questions on Biden’s classified documents scandal — was the member of Biden’s inner circle who coined “Putin’s price hike.”

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz’s special advisor for communications Steve Guest highlighted the push for White House officials to offload the source of the unsuccessful messaging onto her.

“Multiple White House staffers want the world to know Kate Bedingfield is to blame for the idiotic ‘Putin’s price hike’ nonsense,” Guest tweeted. “LOL.”

Matt Whitlock, a communications professional who has worked in multiple GOP Senate offices, called the talking point a “cute gimmick,” but said it “had zero impact – majorities continued to blame Biden policies for gas price hikes.”

Bedingfield, who was initially leaving the Biden White House last summer before changing her mind and being persuaded to stay in her role through the midterms, has made multiple headlines in her tenure as Biden’s top communications official.

In August 2021, as the administration was getting into full swing, Bedingfield claimed that Biden “never shies away from taking questions” amid the deadly, botched Afghanistan withdrawal despite the president facing criticism for shying away from questions and not doing press conferences.

In March 2022, Bedingfield again made headlines after she claimed the president did not lie about his son, Hunter Biden, not making money in China and other foreign business dealings during the 2020 presidential race.

“We absolutely stand by the president’s comment,” Bedingfield said. “And I would point you to the reporting on this, which referenced statements that we made at the time, that we gave to the Washington Post, who worked on this story. But as you know, I don’t speak for Hunter Biden so there’s not more I can say on that.”

Bedingfield also made headlines in 2020 when she repeatedly deflected from a question from CNN’s Jake Tapper about Democrats’ calls for packing the Supreme Court, calling it a GOP-manufactured “distraction.”

“This is a distraction they want to throw out as a hypothetical … to distract from the fact they are trying to ram through a nominee who, as I said, is going to change the makeup of the court against the will of the American people,” the then-deputy campaign chair said.

It is unclear where Bedingfield will be heading to next, but it could be back to Biden’s campaign ahead of the consequential 2024 presidential election.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, prompting White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates to respond, “LFG.”