President Trump urged Arkansans to call Senator Tom Cotton to pressure him into supporting the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent.

President Donald Trump shared what appeared to be the personal cellphone number of Senator Tom Cotton on social media Saturday, urging constituents to pressure the Arkansas Republican to support the Sunshine Protection Act. The legislation, which aims to make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, currently faces opposition in the Senate. Trump argued that the twice-annual clock change is detrimental to the country, while Cotton maintains that permanent daylight saving time would lead to hazardous, dark winter mornings.

The Dispute Over Daylight Saving

The Sunshine Protection Act seeks to end the practice of changing clocks twice a year. Proponents, including the White House, argue the change would provide more daylight during active hours. Trump has stated the current system costs the country money and negatively impacts crime, stress, and sports, specifically noting that the change would benefit professional golfers.

Cotton's Opposition and Response

Senator Cotton, who serves as the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has resisted the bill, citing concerns that permanent daylight saving time would force children to travel to school in the dark. In response to the president's social media posts, Cotton noted on X that Congress has previously enacted and subsequently repealed permanent daylight saving time after experiencing the effects of late winter sunrises. He stated that he intends to continue putting Arkansas first regarding this issue.