By Karim Hammam
President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Congress to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, complaining that “it’s so dark outside, so early” following the midterm elections that saw his party lose control of Congress.
Truth Social Rant
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump criticized the Senate for not approving the bill, which the House passed 308-117 in July. He noted sunset at 5:06 p.m. and darkness by 5:31 p.m., calling it “ridiculous,” and said he had avoided raising the issue before the election to avoid hurting certain senators.
Legislative Background
The Sunshine Protection Act would eliminate the twice-yearly clock changes and keep daylight saving time year-round. The measure cleared the House with bipartisan support but has not been taken up by the Senate. Trump has previously described the clock change as “ridiculous” and claimed permanent daylight saving time would reduce the murder rate, though opponents argue it would leave mornings dark for schoolchildren and workers.
Current Law and Public Opinion
Daylight saving time is governed by the Uniform Time Act of 1966, and only Congress can change it. Arizona, Hawaii, and U.S. territories do not observe the change. An AP-NORC poll last month found 47 percent of U.S. adults oppose the twice-yearly switch, while 56 percent prefer year-round daylight saving time.
