Donald Trump shares Senator Tom Cotton's phone number in daylight saving clash

The post on Truth Social

Donald Trump has posted the personal cell phone number of Republican Senator Tom Cotton on social media, telling voters in Arkansas to call him and demand he stop blocking a bill to make daylight saving time permanent.

The post, shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform, is part of an aggressive push to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, which would end the twice-yearly practice of changing the clocks.

"Tom Cotton, a friend of mine, is holding up a very important Bill," Trump wrote. He called the legislation the "No More Changing of Clocks Act" and urged Arkansas residents to take direct action: "Call Tom on his cellphone. Let him know."

The House of Representatives passed the bill in July with a comfortable 308-117 majority, but progress has stalled in the Senate. Under Senate rules, a single lawmaker can delay a bill's progress, and Cotton has emerged as its most vocal opponent.

Why Tom Cotton opposes the bill

Cotton has long warned that making daylight saving time permanent would mean millions of Americans, including school children and outdoor workers, would have to start their winter mornings in pitch darkness.

"If permanent daylight saving time becomes the law of the land, it will again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans," Cotton said last year. He pointed out that farmers, construction workers, and people commuting early would bear the brunt of the change.

Trump, however, argues that an extra hour of light in the evening would boost the economy, lower crime rates, and reduce traffic accidents. He also claimed the change would help the golf industry, which he said needs more afternoon light to finish tournaments.

To support his case, Trump shared correspondence from Brian Rolapp—whom he identified as the PGA Tour chief executive—stating that the change would bring in $1 billion in direct revenue for the industry.

What happens next

The US has tried this before. In 1974, the country experimented with year-round daylight saving time to conserve energy, but the experiment was quickly abandoned after public backlash over dark winter mornings.

For now, the system remains unchanged. The Senate has adjourned until after the midterm elections, meaning clocks will still go back as planned. Even if the bill eventually passes, the transition to permanent daylight saving time would not take effect until 2027.

Passing the bill in the Senate remains a steep hill to climb. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has questioned whether the bill can secure the 60 votes needed to clear procedural hurdles. While Senator John Kennedy has described its prospects as poor, Senator Rick Scott, one of the bill's sponsors, insists it can still pass.