The Trump administration announced on Monday, August 10, 2026, a 90-day extension of the Jones Act waiver, a century-old law requiring shipping between U.S. ports to be conducted by American ships. This move aims to help keep gasoline and other fuel prices down amid ongoing global energy market pressures.

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated, “Today, the Trump Administration issued a 90-day extension to the Jones Act waiver to ensure our military and key industries maintain uninterrupted access to critical resources.”

The waiver permits foreign ships to transport certain commodities between U.S. ports, a practice normally restricted under the Jones Act. The administration first issued this waiver in March and extended it in April as the war in Iran disrupted fuel supplies by blocking shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint.

As of August 10, the average U.S. gasoline price stood at approximately $4.01 per gallon, about 87 cents higher than the previous year, according to AAA.

In response to pushback from the domestic shipping industry, the current waiver is narrower in scope, applying only to specific commodities such as gasoline, diesel, crude oil, petrochemicals, natural gas, and fertilizer. The Maritime Administration will assess the availability of Jones Act-compliant vessels before approving waivers for individual voyages.

An official noted that the waiver has allowed for up to a 50 percent increase in domestic shipments between U.S. ports. Past analyses, including a 2022 JPMorgan projection cited by Bloomberg, suggest that waiving the Jones Act could modestly reduce gasoline prices, potentially saving East Coast drivers about 10 cents per gallon.

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