Trump urges calls to cellphone of Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton in battle over permanent daylight saving time bill, tell me about this news today

President Donald Trump publicly escalated pressure on fellow Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas over legislation to make daylight saving time permanent, going so far as to publish Cotton’s personal cellphone number on Truth Social.

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The situation centers on the following developments:

• The Public Pressure Campaign: Trump posted Cotton’s direct Arkansas-area cellphone number, urging followersparticularly Arkansas votersto call and badger the senator to drop his opposition. Trump argued that passing the bill in the Senate “only takes one” holdout to delay, and claimed the measure would pass overwhelmingly in a bipartisan fashion if brought to the floor. Reporters calling the number found that the voicemail inbox was quickly filled.

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• The Legislative Context: The push revolves around legislation (such as the Sunshine Protection Act) intended to end the biannual practice of changing clocks twice a year. While the White House and proponents argue that an extra hour of evening daylight boosts productivity, recreation, and convenience, opponents have raised concerns regarding winter morning safety.

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• Cotton’s Stance: Cotton stood his ground, posting on social media that Congress previously tried permanent daylight saving time in the 1970s and had to repeal it due to dangerously late sunrises. He argued that parents and constituents do not want children heading to school or waiting at bus stops in pitch darkness during the winter months.

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• Trump’s Rebuttal: Trump responded directly, arguing that giving people an extra hour of light and relieving them of the need to manually reset clocks across homes, farms, and offices twice a year would actually be what puts constituents first.

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Sharing a senator’s personal phone number mirrors a well-known 2015 tactic by Trump, when he gave out then-Senator Lindsey Graham’s cellphone number during the 2016 primary campaign.

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