Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a tradition in the US to move clocks forward or backward by one hour twice a year. Time is moved forward by one hour in March and brought back in November. The purpose of this is to make the most of daylight. But this tradition has been a part of controversies for years. Some people consider it convenient, while others call it useless and troublesome. From scientists to politicians, everyone’s opinion is divided on this.
Now two famous personalities—former US President Donald Trump and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk—have also joined this debate. In such a situation, the question arises whether the political future of Daylight Saving Time is going to change?
Does Donald Trump want to end Daylight Saving Time?
Donald Trump posted on his social media platform in December 2024, saying:
“The Republican Party will do everything possible to end daylight saving time. It has a small but strong support. But it shouldn’t happen! Daylight saving time is inconvenient and expensive for our country.“
However, when he was asked to take concrete steps on this in a press conference after this statement, he described it as an issue of ‘fifty-fifty,’ i.e., equal support and opposition. He also said, “This is something I can do, but many people like it and many people don’t.“
This statement of Trump’s made it clear that he is interested in this issue, but he has not yet taken a clear political stand. It is possible that he will bring it up as an issue in the election environment.
Elon Musk’s social media poll
Elon Musk, who is known for technological innovations, also showed interest in this debate. He conducted a poll on his platform X (formerly Twitter), in which he asked people, “If daylight saving time is abolished in the US, would they prefer to keep the time one hour ahead or behind?”
More than 1.3 million people participated in this poll.
- 58% of people supported advancing the time.
- 42% of people supported advancing the time.
This poll made it clear that the opinion of the general public is also divided on this issue. This also indicates that it will not be easy to take a unanimous decision on this.
Will the US Congress take a final decision?
A proposal to permanently abolish daylight saving time was also brought in Congress earlier. In 2022, this bill was also passed by the Senate, but it could not get approval in the House of Representatives.
Now in January 2025, Republican senators Rick Scott and Vern Buchanan have started trying to get this law passed again. If this bill is passed, daylight saving time will be applicable in America throughout the year, and the tradition of changing the clock every six months will end.
Some states have already taken steps
Florida has been at the forefront in this direction. In 2018, Florida passed a law called the “Sunshine Protection Act,” which allows the state to always be on daylight saving time. However, federal approval was required for this law to come into effect, which has not been received yet.
Talking about other states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 20 states have passed similar laws since 2015. But all of these also need the approval of Congress.
If Congress approves all these proposals, then these states can adopt daylight saving time throughout the year, and there will be no need to change the clock every six months.
What does public opinion say?
The public of America is also divided into two parts regarding daylight saving time. Some people consider it to be energy saving and productivity enhancing, while some consider it harmful to health and a hassle.
Arguments in favor of Daylight Saving Time:
- ✅ Maximum benefit of daylight is obtained.
- ✅ Electricity consumption is reduced.
- ✅ More light in the evening promotes business and outdoor activities.
Arguments against Daylight Saving Time:
- ❌ Changing the clock every year disturbs the sleep routine.
- ❌ Some scientists consider it harmful to health.
- ❌ This system creates problems for time-based businesses.
Will Trump implement this change?
The way Trump has talked about this issue, it seems that he is interested in it. But it is not yet clear whether he will include it in his political plan.
If Congress passes this law, Trump or any incoming president may be forced to implement it.
For now, it will be interesting to see what new updates come on this issue in the next few months. Will the US once again end the tradition of ‘changing the clock’, or will this debate continue like this?
Conclusion
Daylight saving time has long been a matter of debate in the US, and now it has also become a part of political discussions.
- 🔹 Donald Trump is in favor of this change, but he has not yet taken any concrete decision.
- 🔹 Elon Musk took public opinion through an online poll, in which most people were in favor of “moving the clock forward.”
- 🔹 More than 20 states, including Florida, have tried to adopt this change, but the final decision is in the hands of Congress.
This is a big question for the American public – will they continue to change the clock every six months, or will this tradition now become history?
FAQs
Q. What is Daylight Saving Time (DST)?
A. Daylight Saving Time is the practice of setting clocks forward by one hour in the spring and back by one hour in the fall to make better use of daylight.
Q. Why is Daylight Saving Time controversial?
A. Some people believe it saves energy and boosts productivity, while others find it disruptive, harmful to health, and inconvenient.
Q. What is Donald Trump’s view on DST?
A. Donald Trump has called DST “inconvenient and expensive,” and has suggested that the Republican Party may work to end it.
Q. What did Elon Musk do about DST?
A. Elon Musk conducted a poll on X (formerly Twitter), where 58% of over 1.3 million participants favored moving the clock forward permanently.
Q. Has the US Congress made any decision on DST?
A. A bill to make DST permanent passed the Senate in 2022 but failed in the House. A new attempt was made in January 2025, but the final decision is still pending.