Former President Donald Trump on Saturday called on Arkansans to pressure Sen. Tom Cotton to support a proposed federal bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. Trump’s appeal included what appeared to be Cotton’s personal cellphone number, which he posted on social media. Neither the senator nor his office has confirmed if the number is accurate.
The Sunshine Protection Act, which seeks to end the biannual clock changes in favor of maintaining daylight saving time year-round, passed the House of Representatives in July. However, it has faced significant opposition in the Senate, including from Cotton, a Republican representing Arkansas.
Proponents of the bill, including members of the White House, argue that keeping daylight saving time permanent would maximize usable daylight during evening hours, benefiting outdoor activities, businesses, and overall lifestyles. Critics raise safety concerns about darker mornings in winter, which would require children to wait for school buses in the dark and could lead to more hazardous commutes.
Trump, a vocal supporter of the bill, turned to social media Saturday morning to blame Cotton for the delay and encouraged Arkansas residents to contact the senator. "Everyone in Arkansas, a state I love and won three times, the last by 34 points, tell Tom to GET IT DONE!" Trump wrote.
Trump later elaborated on his sentiment to reporters, citing inconvenience and personal grievances. "It’s a lot of work for a lot of people, running around for two days, changing all the clocks in the house," Trump said. He added that the back-and-forth clock changes create confusion and cut into evening recreational activities like golf and tennis.
Cotton, meanwhile, reiterated his opposition to the proposal later that day. On social media, he defended his position, stating, "No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent daylight saving time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter."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 debate over daylight saving time is not new. Congress first adopted the policy during World War II, and it has been modified several times since then. A 2025 poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicated that 47% of Americans oppose the current system of switching clocks twice a year, while only 12% favor keeping it.
Trump responded to Cotton’s remarks by doubling down on his argument for eliminating clock changes altogether, claiming that extended daylight hours would improve safety and convenience. "If Tom Cotton were putting Arkansas first, he would give them an extra hour of daylight," Trump wrote in a follow-up post. "That is really putting Arkansas FIRST."
Criticism of the policy has also come from some lawmakers who emphasize the logistical and health drawbacks of extended darker mornings in winter.
The Sunshine Protection Act, if signed into law, would allow states to opt out of observing daylight saving time if their legislatures act before the law’s implementation. States like Arizona and Hawaii already do not observe the time change.
Cotton is currently running for reelection in November, though his race is not expected to be competitive. Trump and Cotton share similar Republican policy positions but have clashed on certain issues. Cotton, who has taken a leading role on national security matters in the Senate, has previously opposed some of Trump’s approaches, including efforts to stall the confirmation of a nominee for director of national intelligence.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.