After securing a second term, Donald Trump has named Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to spearhead his administration’s push for government efficiency. Their mission involves slashing federal regulations and reducing the size of the federal workforce. While it’s unclear how voters will respond to this agenda, Musk and Ramaswamy recently focused on an issue that many Americans may support: ending daylight saving time.
Last week, Musk engaged with a poll posted by a user on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The poll asked whether daylight saving time should be abolished, and the overwhelming majority of respondents voted in favor of doing so. Reacting to the results, Musk remarked, “Looks like the people want to abolish the annoying time changes!”
Ramaswamy soon joined the conversation, echoing Musk’s sentiment. “It’s inefficient & easy to change,” he said in response to Musk’s comment. Musk’s statement also caught the attention of Utah Senator Mike Lee, who directly asked the Tesla CEO if he supported ending the “semi-annual time changes.” Musk replied with a simple “Yes.”
Despite their comments, neither Musk nor Ramaswamy elaborated on concrete plans to tackle the issue. The Department of Government Efficiency, which they are set to lead, is merely an advisory body. It lacks the authority to create or implement policies, meaning any influence they wield will come in the form of recommendations. Nevertheless, having two influential figures in Trump’s inner circle voicing support for the idea could reignite discussions on the matter.
Congress has explored the possibility of making daylight saving time permanent several times. Since 2018, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida has championed the “Sunshine Protection Act,” a legislative effort aimed at ending the biannual time changes. For years, the bill saw little progress in Congress, remaining stuck in committee. However, in 2022, the U.S. Senate unexpectedly passed the bill, a significant step forward. Yet, the legislation stalled in the House of Representatives, leaving its future uncertain. With Rubio now poised to join Trump’s administration as secretary of state, the bill’s fate remains unclear.
If Musk and Ramaswamy choose to advocate for this change seriously, they could find an ally in Trump himself. During his first term, Trump expressed openness to making daylight saving time permanent. In a 2019 social media post, he stated, “Making Daylight Saving Time permanent is O.K. with me!”
The push to establish permanent daylight saving time is not without support. A 2022 poll conducted by Monmouth University revealed that only 35 percent of Americans favored continuing the practice of changing clocks twice a year. Historically, the nation briefly experimented with permanent daylight saving time during the 1970s as a response to the energy crisis. However, the shift, initially intended to last for two years, faced significant public backlash and was eventually reversed.
Musk and Ramaswamy’s involvement could lend momentum to an issue that has struggled to gain widespread legislative traction. While their ability to directly influence policy is limited, their prominence within Trump’s administration could amplify the conversation around daylight saving time and its future in the United States.
