President Donald Trump has issued a waiver that suspends the enforcement of the Jones Act for 60 days.
The Jones Act is a protectionist law that was meant to bolster the domestic shipbuilding industry by forbidding foreign ships from transporting goods between US ports. “President Trump’s decision to issue a 60-day Jones Act waiver is just another step to mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market as the U.S. military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X Wednesday.
President Trump’s decision to issue a 60-day Jones Act waiver is just another step to mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market as the U.S. military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury.
This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural… https://t.co/q6xu36exzy
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 18, 2026
She continued, “This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to US ports for sixty days, and the Administration remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains.”
The price of oil has continued to climb as a result of the US and Israeli war against Iran. In response to the aggression, Tehran has closed the Strait of Hormuz to most shipping and attacked energy infrastructure in Gulf Arab states allied with the US.
The war on oil facilities will likely escalate in the coming days. On Wednesday, Israel bombed sites tied to Iran’s largest natural gas field. Tehran vowed to respond by attacking major oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
Additionally, Tehran is negotiating with multiple countries about allowing additional transit though the Strait of Hormuz if they agree to price the oil in Chinese yuan rather than the US dollar. The move is viewed as an effort to harm the American economy by undermining the petro-dollar system.
