Can US turn the clock on daylight saving time?

President-elect Donald Trump renewed calls to end daylight saving time (DST), the annual changing of clocks to an hour forward in March and an hour back in November. The century-old practice aims to save energy and allow more daylight during active hours.

Posting on Truth Social, he called the practice “inconvenient” and “very costly.” Trump added that the Republican Party would work to eliminate DST, aligning with public frustration over the long-debated time shifts.

Critics of DST argue that it disrupts sleep, increases health risks like heart attacks, and leads to more accidents. Meanwhile, several businesses and proponents, including GOP Sen. Marco Rubio (who first introduced the Sunshine Protection Act in 2018), advocate for permanent daylight saving time, saying it could boost productivity and consumer activity.

Any proposal to alter the time change activity faces hurdles in Congress, where there’s no agreement on whether to stick with standard time or adopt daylight saving time year-round.

Sen. Rubio’s Sunshine Protection Act passed the Senate in 2022 but stalled in the House. 

Efforts to adopt year-round DST failed in the 1970s amid dark school mornings and safety concerns. Whether this time is different remains to be seen.

A 2023 YouGov poll shows 62% of Americans want to end clock changes, but they’re split on what’s next. Currently, Arizona and Hawaii don’t follow DST.