Trump administration omits Florida from offshore drilling directive amid pressure from GOP governor

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced Tuesday that the Trump administration would not pursue offshore oil drilling off the coast of Florida after Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) expressed opposition to the prospect.

The Interior Secretary said Gov. Scott "is a straightforward leader that can be trusted," and that he supports "the governor's position that Florida is unique and its coasts are heavily reliant on tourism as an economic driver."

Immediately after Zinke announced his statement, journalists on Twitter began commenting on the optics of the move.

"How, after this statement, do you justify extending the program to other states where the governors object, which is most of them?" Business Insider editor Josh Barro asked.

"Florida gets a pass on Trump's plan to expand offshore drilling everywhere?" Huffington Post reporter Jennifer Bendery tweeted, adding a sarcastic "I wonder why!"

Amnesty International's Govind Acharya had another take, noting that the state is home to Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's "Winter White House."

You can see more incredulous responses to the Interior Department's peculiar loophole below.