Full Breakdown
Trump Posts Senator Tom Cotton’s Cellphone Number to Push Permanent Daylight-Saving Time
By Drooid · · How we work
The Direct Appeal
On Saturday, October 3, 2026, President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform to publish what he said was Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton’s personal cellphone number and urged Arkansans to call the senator to support the Sunshine Protection Act. He framed Cotton’s opposition as a single-person roadblock that could be overcome with a single vote in the Senate.
Legislative Background
The Sunshine Protection Act, introduced in January 2025, would make daylight-saving time (DST) the year-round standard for most of the United States. The House passed the bill on July 14, 2026, with a 308-117 bipartisan vote. It was then referred to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee but has not advanced. A prior Senate version passed in 2022 stalled in the House. Supporters, including the PGA Tour and agricultural groups, argue permanent DST would provide more evening daylight for activities and commerce.
Numbers Behind the Bill
- House vote: 308-117 (July 14, 2026).
- Senate leadership: Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) doubts the 60 votes needed for cloture can be secured.
- State adoption: Nineteen states have approved permanent DST.
- Public opinion: A 2025 AP-NORC poll found 12 % favor the current system, 47 % oppose it, and 40 % are neutral.
Statements from the Principal Actors
Trump highlighted the PGA Tour’s projected $1 billion annual revenue gain from extra afternoon daylight.
Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, reiterated his opposition, saying permanent DST would push winter sunrises to “absurdly late” hours, endangering children and early-morning workers. Cotton cited the 1974 year-round DST experiment as a cautionary precedent.
The White House declined comment on Trump’s post, and Cotton’s office redirected inquiries to his own X statement rather than addressing the phone-number disclosure.
Disputed Details
Multiple outlets reported that the number posted by Trump led to a full voicemail box, and they could not verify that the digits belong to Cotton. USA Today noted that messages to the number were undeliverable, and the Associated Press confirmed the voicemail was full. No official confirmation of the number’s authenticity has been provided.
Verbatim Quotes
- “For some reason, Tom is stopping the Bill and, in the Senate, it’s very easy to do, it only takes one!” — Donald Trump
- “It’s said that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. And that’s what would happen if Congress passes the so-called Sunshine Protection Act, once again ending Standard Time and imposing daylight savings time year-round,” — Sen. Tom Cotton
What’s Next
The Sunshine Protection Act remains pending in the Senate. With the Senate not scheduled to reconvene until after the post-midterm session, the bill’s prospects depend on whether enough Republican senators, including Sen. Cotton, will shift their positions. Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s expressed uncertainty about reaching the 60-vote threshold suggests that further lobbying—through public pressure campaigns or intra-party negotiations—will be required before a vote can occur.