Florida Lawmakers Urge Trump to Exclude State From Offshore Drilling Plan

Florida’s full U.S. congressional delegation has called on President Donald Trump to keep the state out of his administration’s proposed expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling, warning the move would endanger key economic and military sectors. In a rare bipartisan appeal, Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody joined all 28 House members in signing a letter stressing that drilling would pose unacceptable risks to Florida’s coastline and economy.

The lawmakers argued that offshore drilling could disrupt the Gulf Test Range, a critical military zone in the Gulf of Mexico that supports more than 50,000 jobs in the Florida Panhandle. They also emphasized the potential threat to the state’s massive tourism industry, noting that Florida’s beaches generate $127.7 billion annually and support 2.1 million jobs. “The risks posed by new offshore drilling far outweigh any short-term gains,” the delegation wrote.

The pushback comes after the Interior Department unveiled a proposal to consider future energy leasing in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, an area historically shielded from development due to its role in military training. Florida officials—including Republican Governor Ron DeSantis—have firmly opposed altering this long-standing protection. The White House has not yet commented on the letter.

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