Trump unhappy over Zinke’s Florida offshore drilling exemption: report

President Trump made it clear to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke that he was upset by the decision to exempt Florida from expanded offshore drilling, Axios reported Sunday.

Zinke did not coordinate with anyone, including the White House, before making his decision, and the move has likely hurt Zinke’s image within the administration, Axios reported.

However, sources told the news outlet the issue has not ruined Zinke’s relationship with Trump.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

Zinke said earlier this month that he won’t allow offshore drilling in waters near Florida through 2024.

{mosads}The decision came after Zinke met with Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) in Tallahassee earlier in the day to discuss the governor’s objections. It was a day after Zinke proposed opening nearly all of the nation’s coasts to drilling.

Since then, numerous other lawmakers from coastal states — including New Hampshire, Washington, New York and California — have asked for a similar exemption.

Zinke’s initial proposal to expand offshore drilling off both of the nation’s coasts is the first step in the process for crafting a plan for lease sales. After gathering public comment on the proposal, Interior will craft another proposal, before finalizing the areas that will be available for drilling.