Trump calls for end of daylight saving time

• Trump wrote: "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our nation."

State of play: Trump allies Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who will co-lead the new Department of Governmental Affairs, suggested earlier this month they'd support ending the semi-annual clock change, CNN reported.

• It was unclear whether they (or Trump) backed making daylight saving time or standard time permanent. Making standard time permanent would extend morning sunlight throughout the year, while DST extends it in the evening.
• A spokesperson for Trump did not immediately respond to Axios' request clarifying his position.

Context: At least 20 states have moved toward permanent DST. Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, have year-round standard time.

Lawmakers have considered making DST permanent.

• Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who Trump tapped for secretary of state, reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act last year. It was previously unanimously approved by the Senate in 2022 but hasn't cleared the House.

Between the lines: 75% of Americans were against the clock change but don't have a consensus on whether DST or standard time should be the norm, per a 2021 AP-NORC poll.

Zoom out: Scientists and sleep experts have pushed for permanent standard time for the benefit of the human body's circadian rhythm, per the nonprofit Council of State Governments.

• Retailers and certain industries back permanent DST for consumers to have extra daylight.
• Data on depression, productivity, crime and fatalities have been used to advocate in both directions.

Go deeper: Where U.S. states stand on permanent daylight saving time