US President Donald Trump increased pressure on Senate Republicans to pass the Sunshine Protection Act on Saturday, targeting Senator Tom Cotton on social media and publishing what he claimed was the Arkansas Republican’s personal cell phone number.
Donald Trump Targets Senator Tom Cotton Over Daylight Saving Time
President Donald Trump increased pressure on US Senate Republicans to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, singling out Senator Tom Cotton for holding up legislation to end the twice-a-year changing of clocks. In a series of Truth Social posts, Trump criticized the Arkansas Republican for stopping the Sunshine Protection Act, which Trump refers to as the “No More Changing of Clocks Act.” Trump wrote that the bill should pass overwhelmingly in a bipartisan fashion and noted that it only takes one senator to stall legislation in the chamber.
To rally opposition against Cotton’s stance, Trump published what he claimed was the senator’s personal phone number and urged Arkansas residents to call him, according to The Guardian. The Guardian called the listed number, reaching an automated voicemail message stating the box was full. Reuters reported that neither Cotton’s office nor the White House responded to requests for comment on the social media posts.
Tom Cotton Defends Opposition As Senate Stalls on Sunshine Protection Act
Senator Tom Cotton has consistently opposed the legislation, arguing in a previous Senate floor speech that permanent daylight saving time would force farmers, construction workers, commuters, and children heading to school to begin their winter days in the dark. Cotton reiterated these concerns on X, noting that while no one likes changing the clocks, past attempts at permanent daylight saving time were repealed because Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises during the winter months, per MS NOW. Representative Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, supported Cotton’s position on X, stating that Cotton should not have been doxxed.
The legislation previously passed the US House in July by a 308-117 vote, but it faces steep resistance in the Senate. Senators left Washington without set plans to return until after the November 3 midterm elections, and Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana told Reuters this week that the bill is “dead as disco,” expressing doubt that Senate Majority Leader John Thune would bring the measure up for a vote before polling day.
Economic and Lifestyle Arguments Cited by the White House
Trump disputed Cotton’s arguments on Truth Social, asserting that the legislation would provide an easy win for the Republican Party and spare Americans the inconvenience of adjusting clocks twice a year. The president also highlighted support from the North American Professional Golfers’ Association, sharing a letter from PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp arguing that the tour needs more afternoon daylight to finish tournaments, alongside benefits for regular golfers, tennis players, hunters, and farmers. Later at the White House, Trump told reporters that a mandatory time change discombobulates the public and leaves people arriving home in depressing darkness.
Polling data indicates broad public dissatisfaction with the current time-change system. A 2025 poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research cited by The Guardian shows that only 12% of US adults favor the current system requiring clock resets, while 47% are opposed and 40% are neutral. Previous legislative efforts, including a brief 1974 trial during an energy crisis, were repealed within a year due to safety concerns regarding children commuting before sunrise.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Sunshine Protection Act
What is the Sunshine Protection Act?
The Sunshine Protection Act is legislation designed to make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide, ending the biannual practice of changing clocks forward and backward by one hour.
How did the House vote on the bill?
The US House of Representatives approved the Sunshine Protection Act in July by a bipartisan vote of 308-117.
Has the US tried permanent Daylight Saving Time before?
Yes, the US Congress briefly adopted year-round daylight saving time in 1974 in response to an energy crisis, but repealed the law less than a year later over safety concerns regarding children walking to school in pre-dawn darkness.
What are Senator Tom Cotton’s objections to the bill?
Senator Tom Cotton argues that permanent daylight saving time would plunge winter mornings into severe darkness, forcing school children and working Americans like farmers and construction workers to begin their days before sunrise.
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