Trump Escalates Daylight Saving Time Fight by Sharing GOP Senator’s Phone Number

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has intensified an unusual political dispute within his own party by publicly sharing what appeared to be the personal cellphone number of Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., as he pushed the senator to support legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent.

Trump’s intervention, posted on Truth Social on October 3, came amid his renewed campaign for the Sunshine Protection Act, which would eliminate the twice-yearly clock changes by keeping the United States on daylight saving time year-round. The House approved the measure in July, but it faces significant opposition in the Senate.

Trump Targets a Republican Ally

Trump described Cotton as a friend but accused him of holding up the legislation. He urged Arkansas residents to contact the senator and pressure him to support the bill.

The move quickly drew attention because Trump went beyond criticizing Cotton's position and publicly posted a phone number that appeared to be the senator's personal cellphone number. The episode revived memories of Trump's 2015 decision to publicly disclose then-Sen. Lindsey Graham's phone number during a political dispute.

The latest confrontation has also exposed tensions within the Republican Party over an issue that might otherwise seem relatively minor compared with the country's major economic and foreign-policy debates.

Cotton Rejects Trump’s Position

Cotton has maintained that he does not support continuing the twice-yearly clock changes, but he opposes making daylight saving time permanent.

The Arkansas senator argues that permanent daylight saving time would leave winter mornings dangerously dark, particularly for children traveling to school and workers commuting early in the day.

“No one likes changing the clock, me included,” Cotton said in a statement, while arguing that previous attempts to adopt permanent daylight saving time were ultimately reversed after Americans experienced very late winter sunrises.

Cotton's position highlights an important distinction in the debate: some lawmakers want to end clock changes by adopting permanent standard time, while Trump and other supporters of the Sunshine Protection Act favor permanent daylight saving time.

Why Trump Wants Permanent Daylight Saving Time

Trump has repeatedly argued that Americans would benefit from having more daylight in the afternoon and evening. He has cited potential advantages for public safety, recreation, sports and businesses.

The president has also complained about the disruption caused by changing clocks twice a year. During remarks to reporters, he pointed to activities such as golf and argued that additional evening daylight would allow Americans to spend more time outdoors.

Supporters of the legislation say eliminating the clock changes could reduce disruptions to sleep and daily routines. Opponents, however, warn that keeping daylight saving time year-round would shift daylight away from early morning hours during the winter.

Republicans Divided

Cotton is not the only Republican skeptical of the legislation. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana has also expressed opposition, while other lawmakers have questioned whether the Senate should prioritize the issue.

The disagreement is particularly notable because Trump and Cotton generally occupy similar positions on many major conservative issues. Their dispute over daylight saving time therefore illustrates how even relatively narrow policy questions can produce significant disagreements within the Republican Party.

The controversy also comes just weeks before the 2026 midterm elections, adding a political dimension to Trump's effort to secure a legislative victory.

The Senate Faces a Difficult Choice

The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House by a substantial bipartisan vote in July, but its future in the Senate remains uncertain. The legislation would allow states to opt out and remain on permanent standard time if their legislatures take the required action.

For now, the dispute has turned an obscure debate over clocks into a highly visible political confrontation between a president and one of his own party's most prominent senators.

Trump wants lawmakers to “get it done,” while Cotton maintains that his opposition is based on what he believes is best for Arkansas families.