Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are pushing for the United States to stop changing its clocks twice a year, a decision that has gained broad support in the past. The entrepreneurs argued that the biannual ritual is “inefficient & easy to change” and that Americans want their country to “abolish the annoying time changes!”
The proposal, made through a series of posts on X, has garnered attention, with some experts and lawmakers supporting the idea. However, it is unclear whether Musk and Ramaswamy intend to make stopping time changes a priority for the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, which President-elect Donald Trump has tasked with overhauling government operations and eliminating redundant processes.
This solution would be the most sweeping recommendation proposed by Musk and Ramaswamy, affecting the daily routines of hundreds of millions of people. The idea has been voiced by some key members of Trump’s incoming administration and the Republican Senate caucus for years.
However, some experts are skeptical, citing the potential consequences of eliminating the time changes. For instance, more morning sunlight might not always be better, and the approach could lead to a loss of evening daylight, potentially disrupting people’s sleep patterns.
There are three camps in the debate: one advocating for maintaining the current system, which balances sunlight and compromise between morning and evening; a second supporting a permanent standard time, aligning with the body’s natural circadian rhythm; and a third advocating for a permanent Daylight Saving Time, providing more evening daylight.
It is uncertain whether Musk and Ramaswamy are proposing a permanent Daylight Saving Time or a standard time, as they have expressed support for both approaches. The proposal will be discussed with Republican House and Senate members on Thursday afternoon as part of their new department’s efforts to streamline government operations.