US President-elect Donald Trump said on Friday, the 13th of December, that the Republican Party would “do everything possible” to end daylight saving time, which he called “inconvenient and very costly to the country”, reports Reuters.
“The Republican Party will do everything in its power to end daylight saving time, which has a small but strong constituency, but it shouldn’t be!” Trump declared on social media. “Daylight saving time is inconvenient and very costly to our country.”
Daylight saving time has been in place in almost all US states since the 1960s, but has been the subject of debate in recent years, with some lawmakers calling for standard time to remain year-round, more calling for daylight saving time to remain year-round and others wanting to keep the status quo.
President Joe Biden has never taken a public position on the issue.
In March 2022, the US Senate voted unanimously to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but lawmakers said they could not reach consensus and efforts stalled in the House.
During the Second World War, daylight saving time was used all year round to save energy during oil shortages and was later introduced in 1973. However, people did not like it and it was abolished the following year.
Since 2015, around 30 states have introduced or passed laws to stop the twice-yearly clock changes, with some states proposing to do so only if neighbouring states do the same.
Trump vows to end “inconvenient and very costly” daylight saving time
