Trump vows to end ‘very expensive’ daylight saving time

AUTHOR:M.J.GDNUS
US President-elect Donald Trump has said he wants to end Daylight Saving Time (DST), claiming it is “impractical” and “very expensive” for Americans.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said DST has “a small but strong base of support that it shouldn’t have” and that his Republican Party will work to end the system.

DST is the practice of moving clocks forward one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall to make better use of natural daylight.

According to the Pew Research Center, the practice is practiced in a third of the world, including most of Europe. However, some in the US have long advocated for the end of the tradition, the BBC reports.

Supporters of standard time argue that it is good for health, as it allows for more morning light, which improves sleep cycles during darker evenings. They also believe that DST can disrupt sleep patterns.

On the other hand, supporters of permanent daylight saving time argue that brighter evenings, especially for those returning from work or school, reduce crime, save energy and even save lives by reducing traffic accidents. Both sides believe that their option would be better for the economy.

Trump's plan is not the first attempt to change the biennial system of seasonal clock changes in the United States. The introduction of permanent daylight saving time was the goal of a 2022 bill that passed the Democratic-controlled Senate. However, the Sunshine Protection Act, proposed by Republican Senator Mark Rubio, never made it to President Joe Biden's signature. Rubio has since been selected by Trump to be Secretary of State in his incoming administration.

The United States first began changing clocks seasonally in 1918, during World War I, to save fuel. The practice was unpopular with farmers and was abolished after the war. However, daylight saving time was reintroduced during World War II and became permanent in 1966, with the option for individual states to opt out. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not currently observe DST.

According to the BBC, research by Professor Joan Costa-i-Fonta of the London School of Economics found that DST has "harmful effects on sleep, physical health, fatigue, stress and mental health". Prof. Costa-i-Fonta's study found that abolishing DST would, in monetary terms, increase economic output by €754 per person per year.

Countries that have abolished the practice include Mexico, which did so in 2022, although DST is still in effect in areas near the US border for economic and logistical reasons. Jordan abolished the practice the same year. Other countries, such as Turkey and Russia, have introduced permanent DST in the past decade. A survey by Monmouth University found that about two-thirds of people in the US want DST to become permanent.