White House to extend Jones Act waiver amid record fuel prices

The White House is set to extend a waiver of the Jones Act, a century-old law requiring cargo shipped between US ports to use vessels built, owned and crewed by Americans. The current waiver, which expires on 16 August, has been used nearly 200 times since late March, the longest suspension in the programme’s history. The extension aims to ease fuel transport bottlenecks as gasoline prices exceed $4 a gallon nationwide.

The Jones Act waiver was introduced to increase shipping flexibility and reduce fuel costs. Government data shows it has been applied nearly 200 times over four and a half months. Critics, including maritime industry groups and Republican lawmakers, argue the waiver benefits foreign operators, including those linked to China and Russia, while undermining domestic shipping capacity. Administration officials are discussing potential geographic limits and tighter scrutiny on shipments.

President Donald Trump has publicly pressured oil companies, including Exxon Mobil and Chevron, to lower prices, accusing them of making "too much money". The administration has few remaining options to reduce gasoline costs before the November midterm elections. Analysts say the Jones Act waiver may only lower prices by pennies per gallon, while other measures, such as a windfall profits tax or price controls, are politically or economically unviable.

The Independent’s report led on the administration’s efforts to curb rising gasoline prices and the political pressure on oil companies. It quoted Bob McNally of Rapidan Energy Group, who said the waiver would likely reduce prices by only pennies per gallon. The report also detailed criticisms from maritime industry groups, including the American Maritime Partnership, which argued the waiver benefits foreign operators over domestic shipping interests.

The Economic Times, Reuters and WTVB all reported the White House’s expected extension of the waiver as a measure to hold down gasoline prices. The Economic Times included Trump’s criticism of Exxon Mobil and Chevron for making "too much money". Reuters and WTVB noted the waiver’s record length and the administration’s discussions with maritime industry representatives and lawmakers about narrowing its scope.

The Times of India, Yonhap News Agency and Globo’s digests all framed the waiver extension as a response to high gasoline prices and Trump’s pressure on oil companies. The Times of India and Globo highlighted criticisms that the waiver benefits foreign operators and undermines domestic maritime interests. Yonhap noted the administration’s consideration of further extensions amid soaring fuel costs.

None of the right-rated digests mentioned the number of times the waiver has been used, a figure carried by the centre-rated Reuters and WTVB digests and the left-rated Independent report. The Independent was the only outlet to quote an energy analyst on the waiver’s limited impact on gasoline prices. The Economic Times did not include criticisms from maritime industry groups or Republican lawmakers.