A lively debate among Republicans has erupted following President-elect Trump’s call to abolish daylight saving time, drawing distinct lines between influential GOP lawmakers who aim to solidify their stance on the issue. By stepping into this contentious topic on Friday, Trump surprised and baffled some legislators.
Lawmakers are divided into two camps: those advocating for permanent standard time, which offers more morning light, and those preferring year-round daylight saving time for extended evening light. Each faction believes Trump aligns with their perspective.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.), a strong supporter of the Sunshine Protection Act, a proposal to make daylight saving time permanent while allowing states to opt for standard time, expressed confusion. He remarked, “I think he just doesn’t want the clocks to go back and forth.”
GOP lawmakers split over Trump’s daylight saving time proposal, creating confusionTrump took to social media on Friday, pledging that “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time,” characterizing it as “inconvenient and very costly to our Nation,” despite its small but vocal supporters. Currently, daylight saving time spans from March through November.
Steube mentioned that he has yet to connect with Trump but recalled previous instances where Trump showed preference for year-round daylight saving time over standard time. “I would imagine he supports Florida’s position,” Steube added, referencing Florida’s 2018 legislation adopting year-round daylight saving time, which necessitates congressional approval since the Uniform Time Act permits states to opt out of daylight saving time.
Some GOP legislators advocating for permanent standard time interpreted Trump’s comments as an endorsement of their viewpoint. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) stated, “The only sensible and durable way to stop the biannual time change is to make Standard Time permanent. I will work on this issue with @realDonaldTrump,” in a post on social media platform X in response to Trump’s remarks.
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), who is against permanent daylight saving time, recalled the public opposition and safety issues that arose during its brief implementation in the 1970s. He pointed out that permanent daylight saving time forced many workers to commute in darkness for part of the year, particularly affecting northern states.
Trump’s spokespersons have yet to clarify his stance on the matter. Earlier this month, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, chiefs of the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), expressed their annoyance with the practice of changing clocks, labeling it “inefficient.” However, they did not specify which time standard they prefer.
The intensity of the debate has led one Republican, wishing to remain anonymous, to highlight the conflict between two favored seasonal sports industries: skiing and golfing. “The best thing about golf is long summer nights. You will golf less if we get rid of daylight savings.
So if you’re going to choose one, you would choose daylight savings, not get rid of daylight savings,” they noted, acknowledging the difficulties this creates for the ski industry, which favors earlier start times. “How do you reconcile that? You just keep it as is,” the Republican concluded.
Competing interests between health and commercial sectors are also evident. In 2022, the National Association of Convenience Stores expressed support for year-round daylight saving time, claiming that “the extra hour of daylight is a boost for business.” Conversely, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine advocates for permanent standard time, stating in 2020 that early darkness and late light disrupt natural body rhythms.
Among the leading proponents of locking the clock to daylight saving time is Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has championed the Sunshine Protection Act in the Senate for several years. His efforts once resulted in surprising success when he managed to pass the legislation via unanimous consent nearly three years ago, catching lawmakers from both parties off guard.
The great clock debate heats up as Trump surprises GOP with daylight saving time commentsAlthough Wicker had initially objected to the legislation, he chose not to pursue the matter further, deeming it unlikely to pass. The House never addressed the bill. “The changeover has a depressing effect on people,” Wicker commented. “I don’t like that. It’s hard on children. But the solution is not to go to permanent daylight saving time.”
Some lawmakers are now bewildered by Trump’s comments, as they believed he was aligned with their position. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the incoming chair of the Commerce Committee, shared Trump’s social media remarks, asserting, “we’re going to make this an early priority!”
Cruz later indicated on Tuesday his preference for permanent daylight saving time, assuming Trump shared the same view. “I wasn’t aware there was a difference in his position,” Cruz remarked. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who endorsed the 2018 legislation for year-round daylight saving time as Florida’s governor, also admitted uncertainty regarding Trump’s stance.
Several other senators expressed a general preference for either standard or daylight saving time, emphasizing that it is irrelevant which one is chosen. “I’m indifferent which way we go, but I think we should just pick a time zone and keep it,” said Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), pointing out the challenges the seasonal changes create for farmers and ranchers. “Animals get used to routines just like people do, and when you start changing things up, it just puts more stress on the animals.”
Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), the incoming chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, noted he has received considerable input from colleagues, predominantly from those favoring later daylight hours year-round. “Certainly, we’ll have a hearing,” Guthrie stated.
Despite some Republicans looking for Trump to drive changes in Washington next year, the issue of time remains low on their list of priorities. Others, like Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), openly expressed indifference, laughing when questioned about the topic. He added, “I hope that doesn’t become a proxy for what a good conservative is.”