Biden advisers say pandemic, not policies, fueling inflation

FILE PHOTO: Shoppers browse in a supermarket while wearing masks in St Louis
FILE PHOTO: Shoppers browse in a supermarket while wearing masks to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in north St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. April 4, 2020. REUTERS/Lawrence Bryant/File Photo

By Doina Chiacu

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Joe Biden’s economic advisers defended his policies on Sunday amid rising inflation that they said was a global issue related to the COVID-19 pandemic, not a result of the administration’s programs.

U.S. consumer prices last week posted their biggest annual gain in 31 years, driven by surges in the cost of gasoline and other goods. Republicans have pounced on inflation worries, claiming that the increase reflects Biden’s sweeping spending agenda.