President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of Truth Social posts attacking Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) over his opposition to the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent and end the twice-yearly clock change.
Trump wrote that Cotton was "holding up a very important Bill" and argued that "sunshine in the afternoon is better than early in the morning." In posts totaling more than 700 words, he said the bill was backed by "Farmers, Sportsman, and Sports" and shared a letter of support from PGA Tour leadership.
Phone number post draws criticism
Trump also included what he claimed was Cotton’s cell phone number, urging Arkansans to call the senator — a move critics said could invite harassment. Speaking to reporters, Trump called the clock changes a "ridiculous custom" that "discombobulates everybody," but declined to say why he posted the number.
Cotton responded that Congress had tried permanent daylight saving time before and repealed it after "Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter," adding that his constituents do not want children "going to school in the pitch dark." Clocks in the United States are set to fall back on November 1.
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act 308-117 in July and sent it to the Senate, where the measure has met opposition. The bill would make daylight saving time permanent while giving states the option to observe standard time year-round instead.
