03.08.2026 17:36
US President Donald Trump said, "Let's end the absurdity of changing the clocks twice a year," calling for the adoption of the permanent daylight saving time system that Turkey has implemented since 2016. Trump's appeal to the Senate has brought the daylight saving time practice, debated for years in Turkey, back to the agenda.
US President Donald Trump called for an end to the twice-yearly clock change, asking for the adoption of permanent daylight saving time. Trump's statements have brought the debate in Turkey, which has used daylight saving time year-round since 2016, back to the agenda. The practice has long been criticized in Turkey, especially because students and workers have to set out in the dark during the winter months.
TRUMP: LET'S END THE NONSENSE OF CHANGING THE CLOCK
Trump called on the Senate, stating that setting clocks forward and back twice a year is unnecessary. Trump, who wants the implementation of permanent daylight saving time, argued that this change would both make citizens' daily lives easier and ensure stability across the country. The statement has reignited the years-long debate over daylight saving time in the US.
TURKEY HAS USED PERMANENT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME SINCE 2016
Turkey, on the other hand, left the clock change behind about 10 years ago. With the decision taken in 2016, standard time was abolished and the country began using the UTC+3 time zone all year round. Thus, the practice of setting clocks forward or back in spring and autumn came to an end.
THE BIGGEST DEBATE: GOING TO WORK AND SCHOOL IN THE DARK
The permanent daylight saving time practice continues to be debated in Turkey, especially during the winter months. The biggest criticism of the practice is that millions of people have to go to work and school in the dark, especially in western provinces, because the sun does not rise until 8:30 AM.
While parents and education unions state that students waiting for the school bus without daylight poses a security risk, experts working on sleep and biological rhythms point out that late exposure to daylight in the morning hours can negatively affect attention, learning, and sleep patterns. On the other hand, some studies on energy efficiency conclude that permanent daylight saving time can reduce electricity usage in the evening hours but does not provide significant savings in total electricity consumption.
DECISION PROCESS CONTINUES IN THE US
Approval from the US Senate is required for the permanent daylight saving time regulation supported by Trump to come into effect. If the regulation is accepted, the US will also switch to the system that Turkey has been implementing for about 10 years.