Trump Considering Waiving Jones Act Mandate for Natural Gas, Sources Say
- Top administration officials disagree over Jones Act waivers
- Puerto Rico, Harold Hamm have argued for relaxing requirements
Photographer: Lindsey Janies/Bloomberg
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President Donald Trump is seriously considering waiving the requirement that only U.S.-flagged vessels can move natural gas from American ports to Puerto Rico or the Northeast, according to people familiar with the deliberations.
The issue was debated during an Oval Office meeting on Monday, following requests from Puerto Rico and pressure from oil industry leaders to ease the nearly 100-year-old Jones Act requirements, according to three people. Although top administration officials are divided on the issue, Trump is now leaning in favor of some kind of waiver, said two of the people, who asked for anonymity to discuss the private deliberations.