President Donald Trump shared what appeared to be the personal cellphone number of Senator Tom Cotton in a social media post, aiming to pressure the Arkansas Republican into supporting legislation that would establish permanent daylight saving time nationwide. The legislative measure at the center of the dispute is the Sunshine Protection Act, which is also referred to by the president as the No More Changing of Clocks Act
(NBC News). The bill would permanently end the twice-yearly tradition of changing clocks and keep the nation on daylight saving time year-round.
Trump Dumps Cotton’s Number in Push for Permanent Daylight Saving Time
In his posts on Truth Social, the president argued that the current semi-annual clock changes are costly, stressful, and disruptive to sports and public life (NBC News). Proponents of the policy argue that keeping daylight saving time year-round would boost economic activity, reduce traffic accidents and crime, and benefit public health. The president also noted support from PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, pointing out that extended afternoon daylight is necessary for winter golf tournaments to finish before running out of sunlight (NBC News).
Senate Stalls Sunshine Protection Act Despite House Approval
The Sunshine Protection Act previously passed the House of Representatives in July with strong bipartisan support in a 308-117 vote. However, the legislation has faced procedural and political obstacles in the Senate. Trump criticized Cotton for helping stall the bill and blocking a previous unanimous consent request brought forward by Senators Rick Scott, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Tommy Tuberville (Fox News).
With the Senate out of session until after the midterm elections, the chamber remains unable to take immediate action on the measure (Fox News). When the published phone number was called, the line immediately routed to a voicemail message stating that the mailbox was full. A spokesperson for Cotton directed inquiries to a statement the senator posted on X, in which Cotton defended his opposition to the bill. Cotton argued that Congress has enacted permanent daylight saving time multiple times in the past and repealed it after Americans experienced absurdly late winter sunrises. Citing concerns that children would be forced to travel to school in pitch darkness, Cotton maintained his commitment to putting Arkansas first.
Northern Lawmakers Warn of Late Winter Sunrises
Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota voiced similar concerns to Cotton’s, arguing that northern states would experience severe disruptions during winter months (Fox News). According to Rounds and other opponents, some communities in northern regions would not see the sun rise until after 9:30 a.m., forcing children to walk or commute to school in the dark. In parts of Arkansas, winter sunrises could similarly be pushed past 8 a.m. if the proposal is adopted.
Despite these warnings, the administration continues to press for reform ahead of the upcoming seasonal change. Americans are scheduled to turn their clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 1, marking the official return to standard time. The public disclosure of a lawmaker’s contact information echoes a similar incident from 2015, when Trump publicly shared the cellphone number of then-Senator Lindsey Graham during a presidential campaign rally in South Carolina (Fox News).