WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump issued a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act on March 18, 2026, allowing foreign vessels to transport fuel between U.S. ports. The waiver is aimed at lowering energy prices by allowing foreign ships to move fuel between U.S. ports during rising oil costs and cargo disruptions from the conflict with Iran.

"This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports for sixty days, and the Administration remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

The waiver suspends the law's requirements for 60 days. The Jones Act, officially known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, requires ships carrying goods between U.S. ports to be built in the United States, fly the U.S. flag, and be crewed by U.S. personnel.

Oil prices have surged during the conflict, with Brent crude trading at nearly $109 per barrel on Wednesday, up from roughly $70 per barrel before the war began. U.S. crude was trading at about $98 per barrel on Wednesday. The national average price for regular gasoline reached $3.84 per gallon on Wednesday.

Nearly all tanker movement in the Strait of Hormuz has halted since the start of the conflict with Iran. Major oil producers across the Middle East have cut production due to halted tanker movement in the Strait of Hormuz. Diesel prices topped $5 per gallon during the week, the highest level since December 2022.

The Trump administration has taken additional steps to address energy supply concerns. The U.S. Treasury Department eased sanctions to allow U.S. companies to do business with Venezuela's state-owned oil and gas company on Wednesday. The administration also temporarily freed up Russian oil from U.S. sanctions.

President Trump confirmed that the United States would pull 172 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve over 120 days as part of a larger International Energy Agency effort. The International Energy Agency pledged to release 400 million barrels of oil from member nations' stockpiles, the largest volume of emergency oil in the organization's history.

The national average gas price in the United States increased from $2.92 to $3.84 per gallon over the past month. The U.S. Maritime Administration notes that the Jones Act can be waived in the interest of national defense by the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Defense.