Trump to Decide Jones Act Waiver Extension by Sunday
The temporary waivers let foreign-flagged ships haul fuel and farm goods between U.S. ports, and the current window expires Sunday.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Oil and Gas
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Should the government extend Jones Act waivers to lower fuel prices?
President Trump will decide by Sunday whether to extend temporary Jones Act waivers that allow foreign-flagged ships to carry fuel and farm goods between U.S. ports. The waiver period has now lasted 243 days, the longest continuous waiver period in U.S. history.
Why it matters
The waivers were issued to curb rising consumer prices, which makes the extension decision directly tied to fuel costs for American drivers and shippers. Energy industry groups and free-market advocates are pressing for an extension ahead of winter, while maritime interests have raised concerns about the rules.
Foreign-flagged vessels logged 311 voyages between domestic ports under the first two waivers, but only 19 trips were authorized after Aug. 17 restrictions took effect. Valero Energy Corp. submitted 29 of the 128 vessel availability requests reviewed, and it remains unclear how many will be granted under a renewal.
The players
Donald Trump
The current President of the United States, who holds the authority to extend the Jones Act waivers and has already done so twice this year.
Valero Energy Corp.
A major independent refiner headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, which submitted the largest share of vessel availability requests reviewed under the waiver program.
American Maritime Partnership
A trade association representing U.S. maritime companies and workers that has reported more than $2.6 billion in delayed ship production investments tied to the waivers.
AAA
The American Automobile Association, a motorists' advocacy and travel services organization that publishes national average gasoline price tracking.
The details
The Jones Act, passed by Congress in 1920, generally requires cargo moving between U.S. ports to travel on U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed vessels. The Department of Homeland Security can grant a waiver only when deemed necessary in the interest of national defense, a authority the administration first invoked in March amid oil market disruptions tied to the conflict with Iran.
Timeline
March: Trump announced a 60-day Jones Act suspension covering 659 product categories.
May: The waiver was extended for the first time.
August: The waiver was extended a second time.
Aug. 17: Additional restrictions on eligible shipments took effect.
Sunday: The current waiver expires unless Trump extends it.
Roadmap
The Jones Act of 1920 has long required U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed ships for domestic cargo, and this waiver is the most sustained departure from that rule on record. The 243-day run now exceeds any prior continuous waiver period, putting the administration's emergency national-defense justification under growing scrutiny.
If the waiver lapses, fuel shipments from the Gulf Coast to the West Coast would again have to use U.S.-flagged vessels, which could affect regional gasoline supply and prices. Gulf-to-West Coast shipments were estimated to save about 6.6 cents per gallon, a cost that drivers and businesses in those markets could feel directly.
The takeaway
Fuel costs in the Gulf and West Coast markets are sensitive to whether these waivers are renewed before Sunday. Drivers and businesses in those regions should watch the decision closely, since a lapse could quickly change regional supply costs.
What happens next
The Jones Act waiver expires Sunday, and the president must decide by then whether to extend it.
Further reading
For broader context on fuel supply and pricing, see Oil and Gas coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Center Square.
Live Poll
Should the government extend Jones Act waivers to lower fuel prices?
