Trump complains it’s ‘so dark outside’ early and begs Congress to end clock switching
Amid his post-midterm election blues, Trump called on Congress to pass one last piece of legislation for him
President Donald Trump complained that “it’s so dark outside, so early” and called on Congress to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, in a Truth Social rant just a day after his party lost control of Congress in the midterm elections.
“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 on Truth Social Wednesday evening. “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.”
“In addition, everyone’s been running around changing their clocks all over the place,” Trump continued. “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 concluded his rant noting that the House “sent it over to the Senate with great bipartisan support, numerous times (308-117), but the Senate didn’t take it up. We have far bigger priorities, but I will keep fighting for this!”
Trump has long been a proponent of the bill, which would eliminate the twice-yearly clock changes and make daylight saving time permanent — and give Americans an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day.
The measure cleared the House in a 308-117 vote in July but has not been picked up by the Senate.
Trump has previously ranted about his desire to get rid of the twice-yearly clock change, telling a rally crowd in Mississippi last month that it is “ridiculous” and “drives everyone crazy.”
The president has pushed the idea that making daylight saving time permanent would reduce the murder rate across the country. However, opponents of the change argue would leave mornings very dark for children going to school and adults going to work.
The current law on daylight saving time, the Uniform Time Act of 1966, was enacted under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and only Congress has the ability to change it.
As it stands, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March, when clocks move forward by an hour at 2 a.m. The change allows for more sunlight hours later during the summer, and when clocks shift back one hour on the first Sunday in November, mornings become lighter.
The system is governed by federal law, though states are not required to follow it. Neither Arizona nor Hawaii observe daylight saving time, and U.S. territories Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands also stay on standard time year-round.
An AP-NORC poll from last month found that 12 percent of U.S. adults favor the twice-yearly change, while 47 percent oppose it and 40 percent say they are indifferent.
Fifty-six percent of those polled say they prefer year-round daylight saving time, while 42 percent prefer standard daylight time year-round.