WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump escalated his push to make daylight saving time permanent on Saturday, publicly pressuring Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and sharing what appeared to be the lawmaker’s personal cellphone number online.
In a social media post, Trump urged residents of Arkansas to contact Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and demand he support the Sunshine Protection Act, according to reporting from The Associated Press. The bill passed the House in July, but faces opposition in the Senate. Proponents argue the change offers more evening daylight, while opponents warn darker winter mornings pose safety risks for schoolchildren and commuters.
Calls made to the posted number by The Associated Press went unanswered, and the voicemail box was full.
Cotton, who faces reelection this November, firmly rejected the pressure, writing on social media that Congress has previously repealed permanent daylight saving time due to late sunrises. Cotton stated Arkansans do not want children traveling to school in the pitch dark, adding he will “always put Arkansas first.”
Trump fired back, arguing that giving residents an extra hour of daylight and eliminating the need to change clocks twice a year is “really putting Arkansas FIRST.”
According to a 2025 AP-NORC poll, only 12% of U.S. adults favor the current system of changing clocks twice a year, while 47% oppose it.
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