Trump posts apparent cell number of Sen. Cotton amid daylight saving push
Version 2: New coverage added a Republican senator’s criticism of the president’s decision to post the number and further detail on the bill’s path in the Senate, including a 60-vote threshold and the date of Cotton’s reelection bid.
In short
President Trump on Saturday urged people to call Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas over the stalled Sunshine Protection Act and appeared to include the senator’s cellphone number in a Truth Social post. Cotton, who says permanent daylight saving time would mean children going to school in winter darkness, posted on X that he would put Arkansas first. The bill passed the House in July on a 308-117 vote but faces Senate opposition, and fellow Republican Sen. John Kennedy told NBC’s Meet the Press that Trump should not have given out the number.
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President Trump on Saturday urged Americans to call Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and appeared to include the senator’s cellphone number in a push to move the Sunshine Protection Act through the Senate. In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that Cotton, “a friend of mine, is holding up a very important Bill,” and told “the Great People of Arkansas” to “let your Senator know it would be a GREAT Bipartisan WIN for the United States Senate, and for America, itself.” NBC News reported that Trump posted about Cotton three times on Saturday, after an earlier post about the bill on Friday morning. The New York Post described the posts as Trump “doxing” a Senate “friend”; The Hill said Trump posted Cotton’s cellphone number on Truth Social. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
The bill, which would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, passed the House in July on a 308-117 vote; CBS News reported Trump called the passage “Great News for America!” at the time. It faces roadblocks in the Senate, where some Republicans are strongly opposed, and the New York Post reported it would need 60 votes to break a filibuster. Under the bill, states could opt out of the change if their legislatures act before the bill’s enactment. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 9 ]
Cotton’s office pointed to a statement he posted on X: “No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Savings Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter.” He added, “Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.” The New York Post reported that Cotton, who it said is up for reelection on Nov. 3, was unmoved by the president’s broadside. [ 1 , 4 , 9 ]
Proponents, including the White House, argue the change would provide more daylight during the hours Americans are most active. Detractors say permanent daylight saving time would lead to darker and potentially more hazardous winter mornings, with children waiting for school buses and parents driving to work in darkness. Trump said more evening daylight would reduce crime and traffic accidents and benefit public health and industries including sports, tourism and restaurants. Speaking to reporters as he left the White House on Saturday for a rally in Vandalia, Ohio, he said the twice-a-year clock change is “a lot of work for a lot of people, running around for two days, changing all the clocks in the house,” and that “it discombobulates everybody.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 9 ]
The dispute lands weeks before the midterms, at a time PBS NewsHour reported Republicans would prefer the president focus on affordability issues and the party’s achievements. Cotton chairs the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and is up for reelection in November, though PBS NewsHour reported that race is not expected to be competitive. The New York Post noted the United States attempted year-round permanent daylight saving time in the 1970s but reverted, and that Trump released then-Sen. Lindsey Graham’s personal cellphone number in 2015. On Sunday, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told NBC’s Meet the Press that Trump should not have given out Cotton’s number, saying the president “can go from zero to a—hole in about three seconds,” NBC News reported. CBS News reported that Trump has changed his position on the issue over the years, calling both for daylight saving time to be eliminated and for it to be made permanent. [ 2 , 3 , 8 , 9 ]
Why it matters
The public clash between the president and a Senate Republican of his own party lands weeks before the midterms, at a time PBS NewsHour reported Republicans would prefer the president focus on affordability issues and the party’s achievements. Cotton, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, is up for reelection in November, though PBS NewsHour reported that race is not expected to be competitive. If the bill passes, states could opt out of the change if their legislatures act before it takes effect.
Key facts
- Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday urging people to call Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and appeared to include a cellphone number. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- The Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, passed the House in July on a 308-117 vote. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 9 ]
- Cotton, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, opposes the bill and is up for reelection in November, on Nov. 3 according to the New York Post. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 9 ]
- Cotton said in a post on X that Congress has enacted permanent daylight saving time before and repealed it, and that Arkansans do not want children going to school in the dark. [ 1 , 4 , 9 ]
- The bill faces roadblocks in the Senate, where some Republicans are strongly opposed, and the New York Post reported it would need 60 votes to break a filibuster. [ 2 , 3 , 9 ]
- Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told NBC’s Meet the Press that Trump should not have given out Cotton’s phone number, saying the president “can go from zero to a—hole in about three seconds,” NBC News reported. [ 8 ]
- Trump said the twice-yearly clock change is “a lot of work for a lot of people” and that “it discombobulates everybody.” [ 2 ]
- The New York Post reported the United States attempted year-round permanent daylight saving time in the 1970s but reverted to the clock change. [ 9 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday urging people to call Sen. Tom Cotton over the daylight saving bill and appeared to include the senator’s cellphone number. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House in July on a 308-117 vote. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 9 ]
- The bill faces roadblocks in the Senate, where some Republicans are strongly opposed. [ 2 , 3 , 9 ]
- Cotton said in a post on X that Congress has enacted permanent daylight saving time multiple times before and repealed it, and that he would put Arkansas first. [ 1 , 4 , 9 ]
- Cotton chairs the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and is up for reelection in November. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 9 ]
- Under the bill, states could opt out of the change if their legislatures act before the bill’s enactment. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the number Trump posted is Cotton’s personal cellphone Outlets say Trump “appeared” to include the number, and CBS News describes only a number with an Arkansas area code; no document confirms it is Cotton’s cellphone or that he received calls.
- When or whether the Senate will act on the Sunshine Protection Act The documents describe Senate roadblocks and, in the New York Post’s account, a 60-vote threshold, but give no vote date or schedule.
- Whether Trump has consistently supported making daylight saving time permanent CBS News alone reports that Trump has changed his position over the years, calling both for daylight saving time to be eliminated and for it to be made permanent; no other document states this.
- Whether the pressure campaign changed Cotton’s position No document reports a change; Cotton’s office referred reporters to his statement on X, and the New York Post reported he was unmoved.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Hill reports that Trump posted Cotton’s cellphone number on Truth Social and accused him of holding up the Sunshine Protection Act. [ 1 ]
- PBS NewsHour reports the pressure campaign on Cotton and notes the midterms and Cotton’s November reelection. [ 2 ]
- CBS News reports the House’s 308-117 vote in July and that Trump has changed his position on the issue over the years. [ 3 ]
- NBC News reports Trump posted about Cotton three times on Saturday, after an earlier post about the bill on Friday morning. [ 4 ]
- The Hill reports a continuing tussle between Trump and Cotton after the cellphone number post. [ 5 ]
- The New York Times reports on the dispute and Cotton’s cellphone number. [ 7 ]
- NBC News reports that Sen. John Kennedy told Meet the Press Trump should not have given out Cotton’s phone number. [ 8 ]
- The New York Post reports the exchange, the 308-117 House vote in July, a 60-vote Senate threshold and Cotton’s Nov. 3 reelection date. [ 9 ]