Donald Trump, never one to shy away from a bold opinion, has thrown his hat into the daylight saving time (DST) debate—and honestly, who didn’t see this coming? Trump, 78, recently declared his support for eliminating DST, calling it “inconvenient” and “very costly.” Of course, he made the announcement on Truth Social, where his trademark caps lock enthusiasm shone through: “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency but shouldn’t!”
Now, this is the kind of policy fight Americans can get behind: an actual practical change instead of the usual grandstanding on Capitol Hill. The twice-a-year ritual of fumbling with clocks and griping about lost sleep has annoyed Americans for decades, so Trump’s stance is one that might just cross party lines. That’s right—he might actually unite the country over the issue of timekeeping.
I sure hope under Trump we get rid of daylight savings time! Do you agreee? pic.twitter.com/2RxjdVeymD
— Not Pucking Around 🇺🇸 (@Jmann213) December 28, 2024
The case for ditching DST is about as bipartisan as it gets. Senator Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for Secretary of State and longtime DST skeptic, has championed the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill to make DST permanent. Rubio has never minced words, once calling the practice “stupid.” He’s not wrong. Polls back him up: a 2021 AP-NORC survey found that 75% of Americans are sick and tired of changing the clocks. The Senate passed Rubio’s bill unanimously in 2022—yes, unanimously, a word almost unheard of in modern politics. But then the House got its hands on it, and progress slowed. Shocking, right?
Let’s not forget that DST was introduced over a century ago during World War I, under the assumption it would save energy. While that might have worked when electricity use was tied to daylight, it doesn’t hold water anymore. Critics argue the disruptions to sleep cycles, productivity, and even health far outweigh any lingering benefits. Arizona and Hawaii, meanwhile, have wisely opted out of this outdated system and seem to be surviving just fine.
Dear President Trump,
We want Daylight Savings Time.
That’s when it doesn’t get dark at 5pm.
No one wants to leave for work in the dark and arrive back home in the dark.
It’s Standard Time that we want to get rid of.
Lots of Love,
America. ❤️🤍💙 pic.twitter.com/Ad5nwGQ1ap
— Southern FFA Family (@FFAFamily) December 13, 2024
Trump isn’t alone in this fight. High-profile figures like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy—who are quickly becoming part of Trump’s brain trust—are also vocal critics of DST. Musk, in his usual direct style, called the practice “annoying,” while Ramaswamy labeled it “inefficient & easy to change.” Their involvement could bring the issue even more visibility—and let’s face it, a little Silicon Valley star power never hurts when you’re trying to drag Congress out of the 20th century.
It’s not every day that a policy can bring together Americans across the political spectrum, but this might be one of those moments. While debates rage over taxes, healthcare, and a thousand other divisive issues, DST reform stands out as a unifying cause. Trump’s endorsement gives the movement a fresh boost of energy, and with Rubio leading the charge, this could be the perfect storm to finally “lock the clock.”
If nothing else, it’s a refreshing break from the usual political noise. Whether you’re a staunch conservative, a die-hard liberal, or somewhere in between, we can all agree on one thing: fiddling with clocks twice a year is the definition of pointless. So, let’s hope this latest push doesn’t stall like so many others. The time has come—literally—to let daylight saving time fade into history.
