Trump Reveals Why He Paused the Senate Debate on Daylight Saving Time - Newsweek

President Donald Trump has explained why he held back from making daylight saving time a major political issue before the midterm elections, saying he did not want certain Republican senators to lose their races in a landslide.

In a Truth Social post Wednesday, just one day after the midterm elections, Trump renewed his criticism of the Senate for failing to approve the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent across most of the United States.

Trump complained about the early sunsets following Sunday's clock change, saying it was already dark outside shortly after 5 p.m.

"Too bad the Senate has not yet approved the Sunshine Protection Act or, the I Don’t Want to Change My Clocks Anymore Act," Trump wrote. "It's so dark outside, so early (Sunset was 5:06 P.M., and it was dark by 5:31 P.M. — Isn't that ridiculous?). Just a few days ago it was so nice and sunny at this same time."

He then explained why he had not pushed the issue more aggressively before Americans went to the polls.

"I didn't want to make a big deal out of this prior to the Election because I didn't want to have certain Senators lose their Race, in a landslide, but it is too bad they can't get it done," Trump wrote. He did not identify which senators he believed would have lost their races.

Trump promised to continue pushing for the legislation, despite saying, "We have far bigger priorities, but I will keep fighting for this!"

Daylight saving time ended in the United States on Sunday, November 1, when clocks were turned back one hour at 2 a.m. local time. The annual change marked the return to standard time, meaning Americans gained an extra hour of sleep but also experienced earlier sunsets.

Under current federal law, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

In 2026, daylight saving time ran from March 8 until November 1, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The practice is observed in most of the United States, although Hawaii and most of Arizona do not participate. U.S. territories including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands also do not observe daylight saving time.

The twice-yearly clock changes have remained a source of debate among lawmakers, businesses and Americans who argue that changing clocks disrupts sleep schedules and daily routines.

The Sunshine Protection Act is legislation designed to make daylight saving time permanent across most of the United States, eliminating the need to turn clocks forward in March and back in November.

The legislation has received bipartisan support in Congress, although disagreements over its potential effects have prevented it from becoming law.

Republican Representative Vern Buchanan of Florida introduced the latest version, H.R. 139, in January 2025.

The House passed the measure on July 14, 2026, by a vote of 308-117. It was subsequently sent to the Senate, where it was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on July 15.

However, the Senate has not advanced the legislation to a floor vote, leaving the proposal stalled.

Trump has repeatedly urged lawmakers to take action, arguing that Americans would benefit from having more daylight in the evening and no longer needing to adjust their clocks twice a year.

Daylight saving time will continue under existing federal law unless Congress passes legislation changing the current system.

The idea has previously gained momentum. In March 2022, the Senate unanimously approved an earlier version of the Sunshine Protection Act. However, the House did not pass that legislation before the congressional session ended, and it did not become law.

Trump has been an ardent supporter of the latest proposal, which still needs Senate approval before federal rules could change.

Following Republicans' crushing defeat in the midterms, Trump only has until January, when Democrats take control of both branches of Congress. There has been some support for the legislation, but Democrats remain divided on the issue.

Trump has repeatedly expressed support for ending the twice-yearly clock changes and making daylight saving time permanent.

In October, the president criticized the Senate for allowing the legislation to remain stalled and specifically targeted Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who has opposed permanent daylight saving time.

Trump urged Arkansas residents to contact Cotton and pressure him to support the bill.

"If Tom Cotton were putting Arkansas first, he would give them an extra hour of daylight and, more importantly, they wouldn't have to run all over their houses, farms, work places, and everywhere else, twice a year, having to change their Clocks," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Cotton responded that no one likes changing the clock, but Arkansans "don't want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I'll always put Arkansas first."

In another Truth Social post, Trump argued that more afternoon daylight would benefit Americans, including golfers, tennis players, hunters and farmers.

He also shared support for the proposal from PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, who argued that additional daylight in the afternoon would benefit professional golf.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is primarily responsible for overseeing the nation's time zones and ensuring uniform observance of daylight saving time.

According to the department, its responsibilities include maintaining the official boundaries of U.S. time zones and overseeing compliance with federally established daylight saving time dates.

However, the DOT does not have the authority to independently abolish daylight saving time or make it permanent. Such a change would require congressional action.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), part of the Department of Commerce, also plays an important role in the nation's timekeeping system. It maintains and distributes official U.S. time references and provides information about daylight saving time rules.

Congress ultimately has the authority to change the federal law governing daylight saving time, while the president would need to sign any approved legislation into law.

Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, states can opt out of daylight saving time by adopting permanent standard time. However, states cannot independently choose to observe permanent daylight saving time under current federal law.

For now, unless Congress acts, Americans will continue changing their clocks twice a year.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Gray R. Thomas