Manchin demands Biden apology over 'offensive and disgusting' coal comments

Sen. Joe Manchin is demanding that President Joe Biden immediately apologize for what the West Virginia Democrat describes as "offensive and disgusting" comments about coal.

"President Biden's comments are not only outrageous and divorced from reality, they ignore the severe economic pain the American people are feeling because of rising energy costs," Manchin criticized the president in a statement on Saturday.

"Comments like these are the reason the American people are losing trust in President Biden," he said. "Politicizing our nation's energy policies would only bring higher prices and more pain for the American people."

Manchin was addressing Biden's comments he made in California on Friday. "No one is building new coal plants because they can't rely on it, even if they have all the coal guaranteed for the rest of their existence of the plant. So it's going to become a wind generation," he said, The Epoch Times reported.

"Let me be clear, this is something the President has never said to me," Manchin, whose state is known for coal-production, responded. "Being cavalier about the loss of coal jobs for men and women in West Virginia and across the country who literally put their lives on the line to help build and power this country is offensive and disgusting. The President owes these incredible workers an immediate and public apology and it is time he learn a lesson that his words matter and have consequences."