Trump shares Senator Tom Cotton’s phone number, urges Arkansas residents to lobby on daylight saving bill

President Donald Trump expressed discontent with Senator Tom Cotton over the contentious issue of Daylight Saving Time in a sequence of social media posts on Saturday, urging Arkansas residents to contact Cotton at his mobile number. Trump suggested the bill, either named "The Sunshine Protection Act" or "We Don’t Want to Change Our Clocks Twice a Year Act," would benefit the United States Senate and America.

He included Cotton’s phone number in the post. When CNN attempted to call the number, it was full and then rang three times before an automated message indicated the "wireless customer" was unavailable. CNN reached out to Cotton’s office for a statement. House members unanimously approved a measure to establish year-round Daylight Saving Time, but the Senate has not acted on it.

Trump has been critical of the semiannual clock change, although his stance on permanently remaining on standard time or Daylight Saving Time has fluctuated. Cotton opposed a bipartisan group of senators attempting to pass a similar Daylight Saving Time measure in 2025, citing the impracticality of schools starting in darkness and his loyalty to Arkansas.

Cotton responded to Trump’s post, alleging that citizens should not need to frequently adjust their clocks. Trump then addressed Cotton in another post, accusing him of prioritizing Arkansas and criticizing the necessity of changing clocks multiple times annually. Trump also attached a letter from PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp endorsing the Sunshine Protection Act.

When asked by CNN why he shared Cotton’s number on social media, Trump did not provide an answer and reiterated his criticism of Daylight Saving Time, asserting that it discombobulates people. Democratic Representative Joaquin Castro cautioned that sharing a senator’s phone number could expose him to potential hacking by adversaries like China or Russia.

Proponents argue that permanent Daylight Saving Time would eliminate the need for biannual clock changes, which disrupt children's sleep patterns and may contribute to seasonal depression. However, opponents argue that it could have economic implications, particularly for farmers who would have to adapt to later sunrise times.