It’s no secret that President Donald Trump isn’t happy with Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski over her recent health care votes. Here he is after Murkowski’s vote against a motion to proceed last week:
Senator @lisamurkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday. Too bad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
After that vote, there were reports that Trump threatened federal funds to Alaska in retaliation:
Trump's Interior Secretary threatened the entire state of Alaska over Murkowski's principled disagreement on health care. The Bully's Pulpit pic.twitter.com/o1YUL7H7pV
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) July 27, 2017
Trump called her out again when the second vote failed a few days later, although not by name this time:
3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down. As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017
But it looks like the bad blood between the administration and Alaska might have come to an end. Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke posted this on Thursday:
I say dinner, she says brews. My friends know me well. ? Thanks @lisamurkowski #Alaska #IPA #MadeInAmerica pic.twitter.com/gc0zo0H5xf
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) August 3, 2017
Nothing like a beer summit to smoothe things over?
To Obamacare! https://t.co/irDebE10xr
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) August 3, 2017
Beer summit. https://t.co/M2j63zQqRi
— Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) August 3, 2017
Guess Alaska won't be punished for the Obamacare vote. https://t.co/fcvHB70t10
— Travis J. Tritten (@Travis_Tritten) August 3, 2017
Keep in mind that despite the reported threats to Alaska over the Obamacare vote, it’s Sen. Murkowski who controls the Interior Department’s funding:
Beer summit! Murkowski chairs the committees overseeing Zinke's department and $$$, fwiw. https://t.co/L83LnDZp5n
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) August 3, 2017
Context: Health care threats in the rearview, Zinke needs Murkowski to move his dept's nominees and to lead process to resize monuments. https://t.co/uAwy5E2D1F
— Kayla Tausche (@kaylatausche) August 3, 2017
LOL. "I'm sorry I threatened you. Can you confirm my staff and give me funding? Please? I won't do it again. Best beer ever, BTW." https://t.co/97RdjpCbz2
— Josh Huder (@joshHuder) August 3, 2017
Pretty much.
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