Full Breakdown
Trump Urges Senate to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent Ahead of November 1 Clock Change
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Core Push for Permanent Daylight Saving Time
President Donald Trump told a rally in Corinth, Mississippi that the twice-yearly clock change is “ridiculous” and “stupid,” warning that lawmakers have only days before clocks are set back on November 1.
Legislative Landscape
The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House of Representatives in July with a 308-117 vote but remains stalled in the Senate. Nineteen states have already enacted laws to adopt permanent daylight saving time, but those measures cannot take effect without federal action. Additional proposals—the bipartisan Sunshine for Our Kids Act (standard time permanent) and the Daylight Act of 2026 (30-minute shift)—have also been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee without further progress.
Official Statements & Responses
He cited personal inconvenience, recalling that a clock change once made him an hour late for a meeting. Senate leaders have not issued a formal response in the sources, but the bill’s status remains unchanged.
Opposition from Senators
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has publicly opposed permanent daylight saving time, arguing it would push school start times to after sunrise in winter. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) echoed similar concerns, noting that in western Montana sunrise would not occur until 9:30 a.m. during winter months, affecting school buses and families.
Verbatim Quotes
- “For many Arkansans, permanent Daylight Savings Time would mean the sun wouldn’t rise until after 8:00 or even 8:30 a.m. during the dead of winter. Three months out of the year, kids in towns like Bentonville, Fayetteville, and Fort Smith would start school ahead of the sun,” — Tom Cotton, Republican senator