President Donald Trump has extended a temporary waiver of the Jones Act for 90 days, the White House said, citing elevated oil prices and supply-chain disruptions tied to the ongoing war with Iran.
The Trump administration has extended for another 90 days a temporary waiver of the Jones Act, a U.S. shipping law that generally requires goods moved between U.S. ports to be carried on U.S.-flagged vessels that are American-built, American-owned, and American-crewed. The initial waiver was issued in March for 60 days. The extension takes effect at 12:00 a.m. Eastern on May 18, 2026, according to statements from the White House and U.S. government guidance on implementation. White House assistant press secretary Taylor Rogers said in a public statement that the extension would provide “certainty and stability for the U.S. and global economies,” as the administration seeks to ease fuel supply pressures and contain energy costs while the conflict with Iran continues. Critics of the Jones Act, including Colin Grabow of the Cato Institute, say the law raises transportation costs by limiting competition. Grabow has argued that U.S.-built ships can cost about five times as much as ships built overseas and has pointed to the limited size of the Jones Act-compliant fleet, which he says totals 93 vessels. Industry groups representing U.S.-flag shipping and maritime labor have opposed broad waivers, warning they can displace American workers and undermine domestic maritime capacity. The American Maritime Partnership previously said it was “deeply concerned” that the waiver could be abused and unnecessarily displace U.S. workers and companies. Waivers of the Jones Act are rare but have been issued during emergencies. Past administrations, including those of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, temporarily waived the law after major storms such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012 to help move fuel and supplies to affected areas.
