President Donald Trump posted Sen. Tom Cotton's personal cell phone number on Truth Social to force a vote on the Sunshine Protection Act. The move happened after the Arkansas Republican blocked the bill from passing the Senate despite a strong House vote. According to Breitbart, Trump urged supporters to "call Tom on his cellphone" to end the delay. The President stated the bill "should pass overwhelmingly, in a Bipartisan fashion" but Cotton is the only one stopping it. This direct appeal targets voters in Arkansas who want permanent daylight saving time for their families.
The House already passed the measure with a vote of 308 to 117 in July, per the Washington Examiner. Trump called the twice-yearly clock change a waste that "costs our Country a fortune, is bad for Crime, stress on people, Sports, and just about everything else you can imagine." This is a clear case of one senator holding up the will of the majority.
Sen. Cotton has argued that dark winter mornings hurt health and well-being, according to NBC News. However, the President believes the current system is a burden on everyday Americans and their schedules. He wrote on Saturday that it is "very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law" while Cotton holds the line.
According to the Washington Times, Trump posted what he claims is the senator's number to apply pressure directly. He told Arkansans to "tell Tom to, GET IT DONE!" because the bill represents a "GREAT Bipartisan WIN for the United States Senate." The President emphasized that in the Senate, it "only takes one" person to block a bill that most want. This situation shows how a single vote can stop a change that helps local businesses and families save time.
No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Savings Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter. Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) October 3, 2026
Trump has pledged to make eliminating the need to change clocks a key part of his policy agenda following his 2024 election, per NBC News. He asserted that securing the "Sunshine Protection Act" into Law remains "very hard" to achieve so long as Cotton maintains his stance. The President demanded the Senate "HAVE THE SENATE VOTE, NOW!" to resolve the standoff. While the House passed the bill, the Senate remains the hurdle that Cotton controls. The final outcome depends on whether public pressure forces a change in the Senator's stance or a procedural vote occurs soon.
Trump stated that "Almost everybody wants 'The Sunshine Protection Act' to pass, except for Tom Cotton." The situation remains active as the President continues to post updates on the issue. The story is breaking news and will be updated as the Senate reacts to the public call to action.