President Donald Trump posted what he claims is the cell phone number of Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on his social media platform, Truth Social. This occurred after Cotton opposed a bill intended to make daylight saving time permanent. In his Saturday post, Trump urged followers to call Cotton, stating, “The Sunshine Protection Act was passed in the House by a Vote of 308 to 117. HAVE THE SENATE VOTE, NOW!”
Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) expressed his disagreement with Trump’s action during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Although he described Trump as a “friend,” Kennedy condemned the practice of sharing a colleague’s phone number publicly. “I don’t think he should have given out Tom’s cell phone number. I don’t think that’s going to help convince Tom,” Kennedy said, noting that Trump is known for his loud personality and can become “tempestuous.” He added, “He can go from zero to a-hole in about three seconds.”
Kennedy defended Cotton, describing him as a “rock star senator” who is committed to representing the interests of Arkansas. Kennedy acknowledged Cotton’s strong feelings against ending the biannual clock changes and making the Sunshine Protection Act a reality, adding that “if you get between him and what’s best for Arkansas, he’ll devour you like a light snack.”
Regarding the issue of daylight saving time, Kennedy commented that while there are significant disputes in Congress, he does not believe this particular matter holds “existential significance for the future of Western civilization.” He reiterated that changing the clocks is not as critical as other legislative issues.
In response to questions about why he shared Cotton’s contact information, Trump criticized the current practice of adjusting clocks twice a year, calling it “ridiculous.” He expressed dissatisfaction with the traditional clock-changing routine, stating that it impacts people’s schedules and timely commitments, asserting that public consensus favors the permanent adoption of daylight saving time.
Senator Cotton has not issued a public response to Trump’s post but shared his opposition to the Sunshine Protection Act in a post on X (formerly Twitter). In that post, he emphasized that “Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.”
As this situation evolves, it remains unclear how other senators will respond to Trump’s statements or Cotton’s resistance to the legislation.
