Trump Pushes Permanent Daylight Saving Time to Reduce Murders
President Trump posted on Truth Social Wednesday, pressing the Senate to pass the Sunshine Protection Act. The House approved the bill 308-117 in mid-July.
- 308 House members voted yes; 117 voted no on the legislation.
- Trump cited costs to cities with 'Watchtowers and hard-to-reach places' as a burden.
- Arizona, Hawaii, and five U.S. territories already stay on standard time year-round.
- Congress ran a two-year permanent DST trial in 1973 but ended it after one year.
Why it matters: Trump listed a wide range of claimed benefits, from lower robbery and murder rates to reduced cardiac risk and higher retail spending. The evidence behind each claim varies.
- A 2015 study found fall clock changes raise robberies 7% overall and 27% in the hours after sunset.
- Multiple studies found no significant link between daylight saving time and homicide rates.
How 7 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage splits on how credible Trump's claimed benefits are, with right-leaning outlets repeating his claims and left-leaning outlets flagging weak or mixed supporting evidence.
Left coverage, 4 sources: The left frames Trump's post as an overblown sales pitch, noting that studies backing his crime and health claims range from weak to contradictory.
The Independent2hTrump believes passing daylight saving time bill will reduce America’s murder rate
Raw Story18hTrump rants about pricey 'Watchtowers' in push to end clock changes
Mediaite7hTrump Makes Sweeping Case for Locking in Daylight Saving Time – Less Murder, Better Health
Political Wire6hTrump Calls for Permanent Daylight Saving TimeRight coverage, 1 sources: The right treats the bill as a straightforward bipartisan win, amplifying Trump's listed benefits without scrutinizing the underlying evidence.
What’s next: The Senate must now vote; Trump specifically called on Republican senators to act.
- A similar Senate bill passed unanimously in 2022 but stalled in the House over standard vs. daylight time.
- Will the Senate move quickly, or will the standard-vs.-daylight-time dispute stall the bill again?
- Do the economic costs of twice-yearly clock changes outweigh or undercut the savings when clocks fall back?