Harris aide walks back promise not to support new drilling

Vice President Kamala Harris' top campaign climate adviser is walking back comments she made last week that Harris would not support an expansion of fossil fuel drilling as president.

"I didn't explain myself clearly," Camila Thorndike, Harris' climate engagement director, said in a post on X Monday. "Contrary to Trump's claims, the VP has not banned fracking, doesn't support banning fracking, and in fact cast the tie-breaking vote on the biggest pro-climate law ever, which, yes, opened new fracking leases."

The comments come after Thorndike said in an interview with Politico last week that the vice president would not "promote" new fossil fuel drilling, comments that raised eyebrows as Harris has tried to alleviate fears over her previous positions on fracking.

HARRIS WON'T SUPPORT EXPANDING FOSSIL FUEL DRILLING, CAMPAIGN SAYS

"Just to be clear, Vice President Harris hasn't said anything that the administration hasn't already said. She is not promoting expansion [of fossil fuel drilling]. She's just said that they wouldn't ban fracking," Thorndike said.

Harris has faced continued pressure to clarify her stance on energy production over the last few months, most notably in the swing state of Pennsylvania, where support for fracking is high.

But Thorndike's comments seemed to go against Harris' new theme on the trail, which has included boasting that the "largest increase in domestic oil production in history" happened during her time as vice president.