President Donald Trump is advocating for a plan to keep the U.S. clocks set one hour ahead permanently. He has even gone so far as to publicly disclose the phone number of a Republican senator opposing the bill to pressure him, but he faces backlash over safety concerns during winter months.
According to reports from Reuters and others on November 1, most regions in the U.S. reverted from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m., marking the end of daylight saving time.
Each year, the U.S. moves clocks forward one hour on the second Sunday in March and back to standard time on the first Sunday in November. Trump believes this clock change should be abolished, advocating for year-round daylight saving time.
The 'Sunshine Protection Act,' which he supports, passed the House in July with 308 votes in favor and 117 against, but it is currently stalled in the Senate.
On October 3, Trump publicly shared the phone number of Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican who opposes the bill, urging his supporters to pressure Cotton for the bill's passage. On October 26, he also demanded a vote, criticizing the Senate for neglecting the legislation.
Cotton remains steadfast in his opposition, arguing that year-round daylight saving time would result in later sunrises in winter, forcing children to go to school in the dark.
In fact, in some areas like Detroit and Indianapolis, permanent daylight saving time could mean the sun wouldn’t rise until after 9 a.m. in the winter.
The U.S. first implemented year-round daylight saving time in 1974 to conserve energy, but it was repealed later that same year due to growing opposition over late winter sunrises.
The medical community is also cautious about permanent daylight saving time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) supports eliminating seasonal time changes but believes maintaining standard time year-round is preferable for human circadian rhythms.
The likelihood of the bill being processed by the end of the year remains uncertain. Senate Minority Leader John Thune stated there is no agreement or clear path for the bill's consideration.
The U.S. time change also affects South Korea. With the end of daylight saving time, the time difference between New York and Korea has increased from 13 hours to 14 hours, and the opening time for the New York Stock Exchange has shifted from 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Korean time.
If Trump's proposed time system overhaul is realized, these time differences and trading hours could change again.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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