By Megan Cerullo
Updated on: April 29, 2026 / 8:10 PM EDT / CBS News
President Trump is extending a waiver of the Jones Act for another 90 days to help lower fuel prices as the war in Iran continues, White House press secretary Taylor Rogers said in a statement on X. The law requires that goods moved between U.S. ports be carried on vessels that are U.S.-built, -flagged and -crewed. Mr. Trump initially waived the act on March 18 for 60 days to ease energy prices after the conflict cut off about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
The extension begins at 12 a.m. ET on May 18, the White House told CBS News.
“New data compiled since the initial waiver was issued revealed that significantly more supply was able to reach U.S. ports faster,” Rogers said on X. “This waiver extension provides both certainty and stability for the U.S. and global economies. The Trump Administration has taken several actions to mitigate short-term disruptions to the energy markets, and this extension will help ensure vital energy products, industrial materials and agricultural necessities are maintained.”
The White House said more than 40 tankers have used or will use the waiver, increasing the availability of transporting goods between U.S. ports by more than 70% and enabling more than 9 million barrels of U.S. oil to reach domestic ports.
Pros and cons of the waiver
Some experts back the waiver, calling the Jones Act outdated and a contributor to higher shipping costs. Colin Grabow, associate director at the Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, told CBS News the extension suggests “the administration thinks it’s working and producing benefits to the country.” He said waiving the law increases the number of ships available; when the law is in effect, transporting goods between U.S. ports becomes much costlier.
By contrast, the Offshore Marine Service Association argued the waiver undermines the domestic shipping industry while failing to lower consumer prices. “The initial waiver has not reduced gasoline prices, rather prices have increased in every U.S. market while benefiting NATO countries that have refused to support U.S. military operations,” Aaron Smith, president of OMSA, said in a statement. “To put it simply, a waiver extension sells out our American maritime industry and the foundation of our Navy to benefit oil traders and foreign shippers. Now is the time we should strengthen U.S. maritime capacity, not weaken it.”
The waiver is one of several steps the Trump administration has taken to try to contain energy prices as the Iran war disrupts oil supplies. In March, Mr. Trump ordered the release of 172 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and temporarily lifted sanctions on the purchase of Russian oil. Experts say reopening the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic is also essential to easing oil prices, with shipping through the strait still well below prewar levels.
Edited by Aimee Picchi