Trump and Musk Discuss Daylight Saving Time
Elon Musk conducted an informal poll on X, revealing public sentiment regarding a potential termination of daylight saving time.
Interrupted sleep schedules. Frustrating clock adjustments. Daylight saving time can be troublesome, prompting politicians to advocate for its abolition.
The political discourse has persisted for decades. Recently, both Elon Musk and Donald Trump have expressed their views, as legislation moves through Congress aiming to abolish the biannual clock change.
Transitioning to daylight saving time in spring and reverting to standard time in fall elicits strong opinions, yet overcoming the inertia to change has proven challenging.
Here’s what to understand about the current political discussion.
Does Trump Favor Ending Daylight Saving Time?
Trump appeared to support the discontinuation of the time shift in a December social media post.
“The Republican Party will use its utmost efforts to abolish Daylight Saving Time, which has a minor yet dedicated following, but it shouldn’t exist!” Trump remarked. “Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient and financially burdensome to our country.”
However, during a signing of executive orders on Thursday, Trump expressed a more cautious standpoint, labeling daylight saving time as “very much a fifty-fifty issue.”
“It’s something I can influence, but opinions are divided on this,” Trump commented.
Daylight saving time leads to later sunrises and sunsets, which has implications on daily activities, notably as Trump pointed out.
“I assume many prefer to have extended daylight in the evenings, yet others wish for more morning light to avoid sending their kids to school in the dark,” Trump added.
Musk’s Poll on Daylight Saving Time
Musk inquired of X users their preferences regarding a potential cancellation of the time change, specifically whether they would like the clock set an hour earlier or later.
Over 1.3 million individuals participated, revealing that 58% preferred a later change, while 42% favored an earlier one.
Current Legislative Status in Congress
U.S. Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla., alongside U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., proposed legislation in January aimed at “locking the clock” to eliminate the clock change permanently.
This legislation seeks to establish year-round daylight saving time. Despite its introduction, the bill has struggled to garner substantial support. It passed the Senate in 2022 but failed to make it through the House.
Florida as a Pioneer
In 2018, Florida became the first state to enact legislation — the Sunshine Protection Act — to maintain permanent daylight saving time, eliminating the need for any clock adjustments.
The Sunshine Protection Act was passed during Scott’s tenure as governor of Florida.
Other States’ Considerations
Since 2015, almost every state has contemplated various time zone bills; however, none of significance were enacted until 2018 when Florida emerged as the first state to legislate the permanent observation of DST, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Over the next six years, “20 states have passed resolutions or legislation aimed at year-round daylight saving time, contingent upon Congressional approval and in some cases, the enactment of similar laws by neighboring states.”
