President Donald Trump publicly attacked Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) over his opposition to making daylight saving time permanent, posting the senator's personal cellphone number on Truth Social and urging Arkansas supporters to pressure him into backing the Sunshine Protection Act.
Cotton, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate and chairman of the Intelligence Committee, has become the public face of GOP resistance to the bill, which passed the House in July 308-117. Trump blamed him directly for the measure's stalled Senate progress, calling it the "No More Changing of Clocks Act."
Cotton defended his stance on social media, arguing that Congress has tried permanent daylight saving time before—only to reverse course after constituents complained about dark winter mornings. "Arkansans don't want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I'll always put Arkansas first," Cotton said.
He is not alone. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) told Trump the bill faces more opposition within the Republican caucus than the President realizes, exposing a crack in GOP unity on the issue.
Democratic challenger Hallie Shoffner, who is running to unseat Cotton, seized on the disconnect. In an interview, she said that in 450 days on the campaign trail, "not once have I been asked about daylight savings time." She said Arkansans are asking about gas prices, grocery costs, and healthcare—not clocks.
Cook Political Report rates the Arkansas Senate race as "solid Republican." Decision Desk HQ gives Cotton a 96 percent probability of winning a third term, despite the public feud with Trump.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has signaled there is no clear "path forward" for the bill in the chamber, confirming that Cotton's opposition is part of a larger legislative impasse.
