Trump extends Jones Act waiver for 90 days

President Donald Trump on Friday approved a 90-day extension of a shipping waiver that allows foreign-flagged vessels to move oil, fuel, and fertilizer between U.S. ports, according to the White House. The administration said the step is intended to ease higher energy costs tied to the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The decision extends an existing waiver that had been scheduled to end on May 17. Under the extension, foreign-flagged ships can continue transporting the covered commodities on domestic routes until mid-August, the White House said.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers confirmed the extension and said it is meant to provide “certainty and stability for the U.S. and global economies.” The waiver is framed by the administration as one tool to help manage fuel price pressures.

The White House announcement also placed the move in a political context ahead of November’s midterm elections, where officials have highlighted affordability as a central voter concern. The administration described the waiver extension as part of a broader effort to limit the impact of rising fuel prices on households and businesses.

The waiver relates to the Jones Act , a U.S. law that requires domestic maritime shipping to use vessels that are U.S.-built and U.S.-crewed. The law has long drawn debate in Washington and across the shipping and energy sectors.

Supporters of the Jones Act argue it is important for national security and for sustaining a U.S. maritime industry. Critics, by contrast, say the requirements can raise shipping costs and constrain available capacity, which they contend can feed through to higher prices for consumers.

Industry reaction included criticism from Jennifer Carpenter , president of the American Maritime Partnership . She said the extension was an “affront to hundreds of thousands of hardworking Americans” and described it as undermining efforts to restore American maritime dominance.

While the White House emphasized economic stability, the longer-term debate over the Jones Act remains unresolved, with competing claims about costs, capacity, and industrial policy. The administration did not provide additional details in the announcement about what conditions could shape decisions after the waiver runs through mid-August.