Trump Vows GOP Push to End Daylight Saving Time: ‘Very Costly to Our Nation’
President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday his support for Republican efforts to eliminate daylight saving time, calling the biannual clock changes “inconvenient” and “very costly” to the country.
“The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time,” Trump, 78, declared on Truth Social. “It has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t!”
Advocates for abolishing the March and November clock changes argue that the disruptions harm sleep patterns and have adverse effects on mental and physical health. In 2022, the Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to make daylight saving time permanent, but it stalled in the House. Rubio has since reintroduced the legislation, with Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) proposing a similar bill in the House. However, both proposals remain stuck in committees.
Rubio has called the twice-yearly clock changes “stupid,” emphasizing that “locking the clock” enjoys widespread bipartisan and public support. His comments align with a 2021 AP-NORC poll showing that 75% of Americans oppose seasonal time adjustments.
Currently, only Arizona and Hawaii observe standard time year-round, opting out of daylight saving time entirely.
The practice dates back to World War I, when the Standard Time Act of 1918 was enacted to conserve energy during the war effort. Critics today argue the measure has outlived its purpose.
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy, both tapped by Trump to lead efforts to streamline government operations, have expressed their support for eliminating daylight saving time.
“Looks like the people want to abolish the annoying time changes!” Musk wrote on X, to which Ramaswamy responded, “It’s inefficient & easy to change.”
