US President Donald Trump has extended a waiver of the Jones Act for 90 days, allowing foreign-flagged ships to transport oil and other commodities between US ports. The extension, finalized on Monday, August 10th, 2026, comes as the war with Iran disrupts global crude flows and pushes up fuel costs, increasing pressure on the administration to ease transport bottlenecks and prevent further rises in petrol and energy prices.

The waiver, which was set to expire on August 16th, 2026, is the longest suspension of the more than century-old Jones Act in its history. The law requires cargo moving between US ports to be carried on ships built in the US, owned by US companies, and crewed by American workers. The waiver aims to lower gas prices by increasing shipping flexibility.

However, after shipbuilders and their allies in Congress argued that the policy was undermining the domestic maritime industry, the White House imposed new limits. Under the revised terms, individual voyages must undergo case-by-case review rather than receiving blanket exemptions, a White House official confirmed.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said the extension ensures the US military and key industries maintain uninterrupted access to critical resources. She also noted on social media that “data shows the waiver has driven a significant increase in domestic deliveries of essential products such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.”

Sources