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By Jon Jackson
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President-elect Donald Trump on Friday voiced his support for putting an end to daylight saving time.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said his party will try to stop the practice of changing clocks twice a year.
"The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't!" Trump wrote. "Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation."
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Trump's Previous Comments on Daylight Saving Time
The president-elect previously indicated he's in favor of dropping daylight saving time during his first administration. On March 11 of 2019, a day after most Americans turned their clocks forward an hour, Trump wrote on X (then known as Twitter) how the time change should remain permanent.
"Making Daylight Saving Time permanent is O.K. with me!" Trump posted at the time.
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Why We Have Daylight Saving Time
The practice of changing the time on clocks twice a year began more than 100 years ago in the United States after several other countries had already started similar policies.
Daylight saving time, also referred to as "DST," was formally introduced in the U.S. with the Standard Time Act of 1918 as a measure to save resources needed for World War I and as a way extend the work day. However, a year-round DST was not put into effect until 1942, also as a wartime measure.
Efforts to End DST
Numerous lawmakers over the years have tried to end DST. Perhaps the most well-known effort was put forth by Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who introduced a bill known as the Sunshine Protection Act in 2018.
Rubio, who Trump has nominated to serve as secretary of state for his second administration, proposed in the bill to make daylight saving time permanent. The bill was unanimously approved by the Senate in 2022 but didn't clear the House. Rubio reintroduced the measure last year.
Health Groups Have Argued to End DST
Experts from groups such as American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine have argued that getting rid of daylight saving time would have health benefits.
According to the arguments from health groups, not having time changes makes more sense for human biology and wouldn't disrupt sleep cycles.
Public Opinion on DST
A 2021 poll from AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found 75 percent of Americans said they were against changing the clocks, but they were divided on what time they preferred. Thirty-two percent said they wanted to stay on permanent daylight saving time, or the period from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November. Meanwhile, 43 percent said they want to stay on permanent standard time.
Only 25 percent of the poll respondents said they wanted to keep things as they are, going back and forth between daylight saving time and standard time.
Update 12/13/24 6:09 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.
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