The president is taking new steps to lower gas prices
By Easton Martin | March 19, 2026
President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Wednesday to suspend the Jones Act for a sixty-day window.
This emergency action attempts to mitigate the rapid escalation of energy prices throughout the United States. Global oil markets have endured extreme volatility since the commencement of Operation Epic Fury in the Middle East. Domestic fuel costs rose by nearly one dollar per gallon over the course of the last month, and the national average for gasoline recently climbed to a high of three dollars and eighty-four cents.
The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 established strict regulations for maritime commerce between domestic ports. It requires all cargo transported between American coastal cities to travel on vessels constructed in the United States. These ships must also be owned by American citizens and staffed by domestic crews. The temporary waiver permits foreign-flagged tankers to carry essential energy products between domestic hubs. This directive applies to the transport of crude oil and liquefied natural gas. The administration also included coal and fertilizer in the list of exempted commodities.
White House economic advisors believe this policy change will resolve critical supply constraints along the Atlantic seaboard.The administration is currently pursuing several different avenues to stabilize the domestic energy infrastructure. The Department of Energy will begin releasing one hundred seventy-two million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This massive injection of crude oil into the market will take place over a four-month period. The Treasury Department also relaxed certain restrictions on the national oil company of Venezuela.
