Axios, citing a Trump ally, said the president is weighing an extension of a waiver of the 1920 Jones Act. The law requires cargo shipped between U.S. ports to travel on U.S.-flagged vessels, a rule long criticized for driving up transportation costs.
“The president is happy with where things are,” the ally said. Trump wants to keep the waiver in place “for as long as needed” as long as Iran continues to pose a threat and lift oil prices, the person said.
Trump waived the law for 60 days on March 18 after fuel prices rose following the Iran war. The move allowed foreign-flagged tankers to operate domestically, and officials have said it improved conditions for moving crude.
White House data show about 40 tankers have carried crude between major ports including California, Texas, Florida and Alaska since the waiver took effect. The administration said the waiver effectively expanded available vessel capacity by about 70% and helped cut shipping costs. It said about 9 million barrels of crude have been transported so far.
The administration said the impact was especially noticeable in Alaska. Jet fuel brought in under the waiver amounted to about half of the region’s average monthly consumption, it said.
The waiver has also renewed debate over the Jones Act. Protectionist advocates warn that allowing foreign ships into the market could hurt U.S. shipping and shipbuilding and cost jobs. Free-market advocates argue the law is outdated and raises costs, and they have called for repeal.
The conservative Hudson Institute said waiving the Jones Act could allow ships built overseas, including in China, to take U.S. jobs and could harm tens of thousands of American workers and investments worth tens of billions of dollars. The libertarian Cato Institute called the Jones Act an anachronistic and burdensome regulation that has lasted for nearly a century and urged its repeal.
The White House said no final decision has been made on whether to extend the waiver. Spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said the administration has taken steps to address rising costs and that data show more goods are reaching U.S. ports faster.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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