Trump Escalates Fight Over Daylight Saving Time
President Donald Trump shared Senator Tom Cotton’s cellphone number in a Truth Social post on Saturday morning, launching a direct pressure campaign to force lawmakers into backing legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent, according to Associated Press reports. The move followed Trump’s public criticism of the Arkansas Republican for helping stall the Sunshine Protection Act, a bipartisan measure designed to end twice-yearly clock changes.
Calling Cotton “a friend” in his social media post, Trump urged supporters to contact the senator directly. “For some reason, Tom is stopping the Bill and, in the Senate, it’s very easy to do, it only takes one! It should pass overwhelmingly… Call Tom on his cellphone,” Trump wrote. When Newsweek dialed the provided number, the call immediately went to a full voicemail box. Cotton’s office responded by pointing to a statement posted on X, emphasizing that the senator intends to prioritize his constituents over federal mandates.
Legislative Obstacles and Historical Precedent
The legislative push faces major hurdles. Americans are scheduled to turn their clocks back on Sunday, November 1, returning to standard time. With the Senate in recess until after the midterm elections, the Sunshine Protection Act encounters significant procedural and political obstacles despite passing the House in a 308-117 bipartisan vote in July. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has previously questioned whether the proposal can garner the 60 votes required to advance in the chamber.
The debate revives a century-old American experiment with permanent daylight saving time. Congress previously enacted year-round adjustments during World War I and World War II, and briefly during the 1974 energy crisis. However, those measures were ultimately repealed after widespread public backlash over dangerously dark winter mornings, icy commutes, and children walking to school before sunrise.
Divided Views Among Lawmakers and Experts
The dispute underscores a deepening split within the Republican Party over a policy that polls suggest is broadly popular with voters. A YouGov survey in February indicated that 64 percent of Americans favored eliminating twice-yearly clock changes, while only 16 percent opposed it. Proponents, including Trump, argue that permanent daylight saving time reduces traffic accidents, lowers crime rates, and boosts economic activity, pointing to benefits for evening golfers, athletes, and farmers.
Conversely, medical professionals and dissenting lawmakers remain strongly opposed. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has warned that permanent daylight saving time would leave human biological clocks out of sync year-round by shifting light later into the day and eliminating crucial morning sunlight. Senator Cotton and other opponents, such as South Dakota Republican Senator Mike Rounds, argue that northern communities would experience winter sunrises after 9 a.m., creating severe safety risks for school children and morning commuters.