President Donald Trump expressed frustration on Truth Social on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, over the Senate's failure to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill intended to end the seasonal changing of clocks. Trump questioned the current timing of sunset, noting that it occurred at 5:06 p.m. and resulted in darkness by 5:31 p.m. While acknowledging other legislative priorities, he stated he would continue to advocate for the change.
The remarks followed the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, in which the Republican Party lost several seats. Trump stated that he had avoided publicizing his stance on daylight saving time before the elections because he believed it might negatively impact senators seeking reelection.
In those elections, several candidates endorsed by Trump were defeated. In Texas, James Talarico became the first Democrat elected to the Senate from that state since 1988, defeating Republican Ken Paxton, who Trump had backed over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. Other Trump-backed candidates who lost their races included Senator Darline Graham (R-S.C.), former Representative Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio), and Representative Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa).
A permanent shift to daylight saving time would change the experience of students traveling to school in the dark and commuters who currently experience early sunsets. Voters in Texas, South Carolina, Michigan, Kansas, Ohio, and Iowa will see new representation in the Senate or House following the defeat of several incumbents and candidates. Specifically, Texas residents will transition to representation by James Talarico, ending a period without a Democrat representing the state in the Senate since 1988.
The next steps for the Sunshine Protection Act depend on whether the Senate chooses to bring the bill to a vote. While Trump stated he will continue to fight for the measure, the source did not report a specific date for a vote or the effective date of the proposed change. The newly elected members of Congress are scheduled to take office in January.