Energy Sec. Granholm says gas prices will be 'rough' this summer, despite previously laughing them off

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U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said "this summer is going to be rough" for drivers due to record-high gas prices, which hit a whopping $5 a gallon on Thursday, despite previously laughing off a question about Americans being concerned about gas prices.

During an appearance on CBS News Wednesday evening, Granholm was asked whether she could offer any "calming or reassuring words" to Americans experiencing financial hardship due to gas prices.

"Yeah, this summer is going to be rough," she responded. "I'll just be honest with you. The Energy Information [Administration], which is the entity that projects forward the price of gas the price of oil, has said that by the fall, it should be down to $4.27 a gallon, and by late this year, early next year, it'll be down to 4 maybe under 4, maybe high $3 a gallon."

In this May 11, 2021 file photo Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

"So there will be some relief on the horizon, but during the summer driving season, it is going to be rough, no doubt about it because we have such a demand and supply mismatch on the global market for oil," she added.

CLIPS OF ENERGY SEC. GRANHOLM LAUGHING OFF GAS PRICES CONCERNS RESURFACE AS PAIN AT PUMP INTENSIFIES

Granholm tweeted a video Tuesday blaming Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic for the high gas prices and promoted clean energy as the solution to reducing Americans’ reliance on fossil fuels.

Granholm, whose net worth is estimated at $8 million, has repeatedly come under criticism for laughing off or dismissing concerns about soaring prices at the pump.

"You know, if you drive an electric car, this would not be affecting you, clearly," she said during a White House briefing in May 2021, nine months before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Nov. 23, 2021, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

In November, Granholm burst into laughter when she was asked to explain "the Granholm plan to increase oil production in America."

"That is hilarious," she said, laughing. "Would that I had the magic wand on this. As you know, of course, oil is a global market. It is controlled by a cartel. That cartel is called OPEC, and they made a decision yesterday that they were not going to increase beyond what they were already planning."

ENERGY SEC. GRANHOLM DODGES QUESTIONS ON GAS CRISIS AS AIDES WHISK HER AWAY, BLOCK CAMERA: VIDEO

President Biden shakes hands with White House chief of staff Ron Klain alongside Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm as he arrives for a briefing on wildfires ahead of the wildfire season with cabinet members, government officials, as well as governors of several western states, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, June 30, 2021.  (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

In March, Granholm refused to answer questions about the energy crisis from a Fox News reporter while her aides physically blocked reporters from getting close to the energy secretary. 

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Before she joined the Biden administration, Granholm appeared in a music video calling for a ban on gasoline.