Trump shares senator’s number in row over daylight saving time
The US president steps up the pressure on a Republican opponent.
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Donald Trump on Saturday made public the alleged mobile number of Senator Tom Cotton during a row over daylight saving time. He urged residents of Arkansas to call Cotton because he is blocking a bill for permanent daylight saving time.
Trump linked the telephone number in a post on his social network to an appeal to voters in Arkansas. The number is not repeated here. The White House wants the United States to abolish the twice-yearly clock change and observe daylight saving time all year round.
Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, opposes this. In his view, winter mornings in many parts of the country would become much darker as a result. This would particularly affect children going to school and workers starting early.
The proposal is called the Sunshine Protection Act. According to the Associated Press, the House of Representatives passed the bill in July, but the Senate has not yet reached agreement. Some Republicans support the plan, while other senators want permanent standard time or wish to retain the current system.
Supporters of permanent daylight saving time point to longer daylight in the afternoon and possible benefits for outdoor sports, hospitality and recreation. Opponents emphasise winter morning light, sleep patterns and the safety of people travelling or working early. The scientific and economic effects are not clear-cut on every point.
Cotton reiterated on Saturday that he remains opposed to permanent daylight saving time. He referred to earlier US experiments in which the country temporarily abandoned standard time, but later returned to the old system. Trump responded again, saying that many Americans are fed up with changing the clocks twice a year.
The row has therefore become more than a substantive disagreement over time zones. Making a private contact detail of a fellow party member public shows how directly Trump is trying to pressure Republican senators, while midterm elections are due to take place in November.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Trump made public an alleged telephone number belonging to Senator Tom Cotton and urged people to call him.
- Cotton opposes permanent daylight saving time.
- The bill was passed by the House of Representatives but has met resistance in the Senate.
Left
Arguments The government must prevent a president from personally intimidating a fellow party member and using private details as a political pressure tactic. Policy on the clocks should be based on health, safety and evidence, not on the preferences of companies or the president.
Values Privacy, protection of workers and children, institutional boundaries and public health.
Consequences From this perspective, permanent daylight saving time could harm sleep and morning safety; making contact details public could normalise political intimidation.
Centre
Arguments The current clock change is cumbersome, but every permanent choice has drawbacks. Careful Senate consideration, with research into sleep, safety, energy and the economy, is wiser than a presidential pressure campaign.
Values Administrative rigour, compromise and predictability.
Consequences A compromise could end the clock change, but would require clear agreements on the time standard and exceptions for states.
Right
Arguments Many Americans want to end a government ritual that disrupts daily life twice a year. Extra evening light could support recreation, business and individual freedom; an elected president may address a friendly senator publicly.
Values Freedom, economic activity, political accountability and fewer bureaucratic rules.
Consequences Permanent daylight saving time could make life simpler for many people, but darker winter mornings remain a real objection.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core facts have been confirmed by the Associated Press, Reuters and Cotton himself. The text clearly distinguishes between established events and the arguments put forward by supporters and opponents.
- confirmed On Saturday, Trump made public an alleged mobile number belonging to Tom Cotton and urged people to call him. — Described by the Associated Press and Reuters. source
- confirmed Tom Cotton opposes permanent daylight saving time. — Cotton explains his opposition in an official Senate speech. source
- confirmed The House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July; there are blockages in the Senate. — The current parliamentary position is reported by the Associated Press. source
- confirmed Permanent daylight saving time could lead to darker winter mornings. — This is Cotton’s central substantive objection and is attributed as an argument to opponents. source
Editor's note
It has been confirmed that Trump shared Cotton’s alleged number and put pressure on him. The number itself has deliberately not been included; the Senate’s consideration of the bill and the effects of permanent daylight saving time remain matters of political and scientific debate.Sources
- Trump posts cell phone number of Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton in fight over daylight saving time — Associated Press
- Trump shares Republican senator’s phone number in feud over time switch — Reuters via MarketScreener
- Floor Speech on Opposing the Sunshine Protection Act — Office of Senator Tom Cotton
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