Florida Republicans are practically steam-coming-out-the-ears angry after the Trump administration rolled out a new plan to open drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. And yes, this is one of those rare moments where the Sunshine State’s most loyal Trump allies are staring back at the White House saying, hold on a second, what are we doing here.
Sen. Ashley Moody led the charge, posting that the new maps outlining potential offshore drilling sites are “HIGHLY concerning,” and promising to take it up with the Interior Department. Moody pointed out what every Floridian already knows, preserving the state’s natural beauty matters, not just because people like looking at pretty beaches but because tourism keeps the lights on. If you ruin the coast, you ruin the economy. It is not exactly a complicated equation.
Then came Gov. Ron DeSantis’ team reminding everyone that Trump himself protected Florida’s coasts back in 2020. His spokesperson Molly Best made it clear that the administration should stick with the original moratorium. So yes, Florida is basically waving printouts of Trump’s own 2020 policy back at him like, remember this part.
The pushback is striking because Florida has turned into deep red territory and Trump’s adopted home. But even in a state that has embraced him, drilling in the Eastern Gulf is a red line. The administration’s proposal is broad, expanding offshore drilling not just in the Gulf but in other regions like California. California’s objection is predictable politics; Florida’s objection is grounded in actual experience and economic survival.
And it is not just sentimentality. The Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010 still sticks in the memory. Floridians watched millions of trips evaporate and beaches get polluted. In 2018, nearly 70 percent of the state voted for a drilling ban. This is not one of those issues where voters hem and haw. They were crystal clear.
Sen. Rick Scott echoed that, saying Florida’s coasts must remain off the table and reminding everyone he worked with Trump in his first term to secure the moratorium through 2032. Now that policy is being revisited, Florida is trying to slam the brakes.
Meanwhile the oil industry is waving reserve estimates and insisting that expanding drilling is a smart long term move. Erik Milito from the National Ocean Industries Association says exploring nearby areas keeps investment flowing. Sure, but Florida voters care a lot more about beaches, tourism, and military operations in the Panhandle than about the industry’s capital flows.
DeSantis also raised national security concerns, pointing out that the Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range is crucial for bases like Eglin, Hurlburt, Tyndall, and NAS Pensacola. A group of GOP House members backed him up in a letter warning that some of the proposed lease blocks creep too far east.
So now Florida’s Republicans and Trump are on opposite sides of a fight nobody expected. And if history is any guide, Florida is not going to budge.
Leave a Comment