Trump Urges Congress to Make U.S. Daylight Saving Time Permanent/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump is calling on Congress to make daylight saving time permanent, ending the twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks. In a Truth Social post, he argued it’s a popular move and costly for the government. His renewed stance follows a Senate hearing on the issue and builds on growing public support for ending time changes.
Daylight Saving Time Push: Quick Looks
- President Trump urged Congress Friday to keep the U.S. on daylight saving time year-round.
- Trump called clock changes “a big inconvenience” and “a VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!” for the government.
- His post came the day after the Senate held a hearing on ending the biannual time shift.
- Trump wrote that keeping daylight longer into the evening would be “very popular.”
- Daylight saving time, first implemented in 1942, runs from spring to fall.
- The Senate passed a unanimous bill in 2022 to make DST permanent, but it stalled.
- Trump had previously called for ending DST altogether but said last month it’s a “50-50 issue.”
- He acknowledged some people prefer morning light for school commutes, while others like longer evenings.
- There’s growing state-level momentum for ending the practice, but federal approval is required.
- Trump’s remarks come as part of a broader push for government efficiency and public appeal.
Trump Urges Congress to Make U.S. Daylight Saving Time Permanent
Deep Look
In a post shared Friday on his Truth Social platform, Trump urged lawmakers to “push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day,” advocating for a permanent switch to daylight saving time (DST). The proposal would eliminate the biannual clock change that affects most of the United States, shifting the country to a single, consistent time schedule year-round.
“No more changing of the clocks,” Trump wrote. “A big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!”
His call follows a Senate panel hearing on Thursday that reopened the debate on whether to abolish time changes altogether — a conversation that has gained traction in recent years across state legislatures and among sleep experts, parents, and productivity advocates.
What Is Daylight Saving Time, Anyway?
Daylight saving time shifts clocks forward by one hour from spring through fall, typically starting in March and ending in November. Originally adopted during World War II as an energy-saving measure, it became a national standard in 1966 with the Uniform Time Act. However, states can opt out of DST — Arizona and Hawaii, for example, stay on standard time year-round.
While the purpose of DST was to conserve fuel by extending daylight into the evening, critics today argue the practice is outdated and even harmful. Studies have linked the time change to disruptions in sleep, increased heart attacks, and a rise in car accidents.
Trump’s Evolving Position
Trump first voiced opposition to daylight saving time last year, calling it “very costly” and “inconvenient.” At the time, he urged Republicans to abolish it entirely. But more recently, he appears to have shifted, favoring keeping the clocks pushed forward year-round instead.
“It’s a 50-50 issue,” Trump admitted in March. “Some people want more light in the morning so they’re not taking their kids to school in the dark, while others want more daylight after work.”
Despite the division, Trump said Friday that the move to permanent daylight saving time would be “very popular” — a nod, perhaps, to bipartisan public support for ending the clock change, even if the best solution remains debated.
Past Legislative Efforts
The Sunshine Protection Act, introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), passed the Senate unanimously in 2022 and proposed making DST permanent across the country. But the bill never advanced in the House, and the measure expired at the end of that Congress.
Any nationwide change requires federal legislation, even though several states — including Florida, Tennessee, and Washington — have passed laws in favor of making daylight saving time permanent. They’re waiting on Congressional approval before enacting the changes.
Public Opinion and What’s Next
Polling has shown a consistent trend: Most Americans support getting rid of the clock change, but they are divided on which time should become permanent — standard or daylight saving.
While Trump’s post does not signal any formal executive action, it ramps up political pressure on Congress to act — and taps into a small but potent pocket of voter frustration.
With growing calls for federal action, and prominent figures like Trump adding their voice, the issue could become a talking point in the 2026 midterms — or even earlier.
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