Shafaqna English– Unnamed sources have indicated that the White House is likely to renew the suspension of the Jones Act—a piece of legislation that dates back more than a hundred years—within the coming days, driven by the administration’s desire to exert downward pressure on gasoline prices.
This policy consideration is unfolding against the backdrop of President Trump’s escalating public criticism of Exxon Mobil and Chevron, two of the largest U.S. oil producers, whom he has accused of exploiting the current market conditions to amass extraordinary earnings.
Under the provisions of the Jones Act, any freight shipped between U.S. ports is required to be transported on vessels that meet three criteria: American-built, American-owned, and American-crewed. The temporary exemption currently under consideration is designed to reduce gasoline costs by injecting more operational flexibility into the shipping industry, allowing for a wider range of vessels to participate in domestic routes and thus easing the logistical bottlenecks that often drive up distribution expenses and retail fuel prices.