President Donald Trump publicly shared what he described as Sen. Tom Cotton’s cellphone number on Friday, intensifying his pressure on the Arkansas Republican to support federal legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent. The unusual move occurred via a lengthy post on Trump’s Truth Social platform, where he advocated for the Sunshine Protection Act and encouraged Arkansas constituents to directly contact their senator.
"Everybody in Arkansas, Tom Cotton, a friend of mine, is holding up a very important Bill." President Donald Trump
The Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to eliminate the twice-yearly practice of adjusting clocks, has garnered significant public discussion regarding its potential impact on daily life and various industries. Proponents argue that making daylight saving time permanent would provide more usable daylight in the evenings, benefiting economic activities, outdoor recreation, and overall public well-being. The legislation has previously seen momentum in Congress, passing the House of Representatives by a substantial margin, though it has faced obstacles in the Senate.
In his Friday post, President Trump described the bill as "a very important Bill" and humorously suggested an alternative title: "We Don’t Want to Change Our Clocks Twice a Year Act." He specifically accused Senator Cotton of impeding the bill's advancement in the Senate. "For some reason, Tom is stopping the Bill," President Trump wrote, asserting that the measure should command overwhelming bipartisan support. He then directly appealed to voters in Arkansas, urging them to pressure their senator.
The pressure campaign escalated significantly when President Trump included what he stated was Senator Cotton’s personal cellphone number in the post. While the number is not being reproduced here, the action quickly drew attention across social media platforms. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, for instance, highlighted the development on X, noting that President Trump had disclosed Cotton’s cell number "over the daylight savings bill." President Trump instructed Arkansas residents to contact Cotton with a clear directive: "Tell Tom to, GET IT DONE!"
President Trump reiterated his belief that Americans are weary of the twice-yearly clock changes. He contended that maintaining additional daylight in the afternoon, rather than early morning, would be more beneficial. To illustrate his point, he cited the needs of various sectors, including sports and agriculture. "The PGA TOUR, as an example, needs more Daylight in the afternoon in order to finish their Tournaments," President Trump wrote. He also mentioned golfers, tennis players, hunters, and farmers as groups who would benefit from extended evening daylight, referencing a letter from PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp as supportive of the initiative.
Further bolstering his argument, President Trump cited polling data, claiming that over 65 percent of people desire additional afternoon sunlight and that "essentially everyone" wishes to avoid changing clocks twice annually. "They want to, as they say, ‘LOCK THE CLOCK!’" he stated. The president also pointed to the "unnecessary costs and complications" associated with clock changes, giving examples of clocks in hard-to-reach locations like church steeples and municipal buildings.
President Trump maintained that the proposal enjoys broad public and political backing, singling out Senator Cotton as the primary impediment. "Almost everybody wants ‘The Sunshine Protection Act’ to pass, except for Tom Cotton," President Trump asserted. He then directly appealed to Arkansas voters, a state he noted he has consistently carried in presidential elections, to influence their senator. He framed the passage of the legislation as a "GREAT Bipartisan WIN" for both the Senate and the nation, again urging residents to use the provided cellphone number to contact Cotton personally.
Concluding his post, President Trump claimed the legislation had already passed the House by a vote of 308-117 and demanded immediate Senate action: "HAVE THE SENATE VOTE, NOW!" This public disclosure of a Republican senator’s contact information by a sitting president, despite describing Cotton as "a friend of mine," marks an unusually personal and direct pressure tactic within the political landscape. The core of President Trump’s message centered on the policy of permanent daylight saving time, but the decision to publicly distribute Senator Cotton’s apparent personal contact information quickly became a prominent aspect of the ongoing political discussion. President Trump ended the post by thanking readers for their attention and signing off as "President DONALD J. TRUMP."
