Urging Senate to stop clock change, Trump posts GOP senator's cell number
Trump targeted Cotton in a push for the Senate to approve permanent daylight saving time.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Bradenton Herald, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
The Bradenton Herald is an established regional outlet, and this article identifies its author and credits USA TODAY and Reuters Connect for the reporting. The disclosed syndication and attribution support transparency, though the page offers limited information about the publisher’s corrections practices.
- Source type — Established local newspaper carrying nationally reported material.
- Transparency — The page identifies the author and discloses the USA TODAY and Reuters Connect connection.
- Author attribution — Named reporter and contributing reporter are credited.
- Correction history — No corrections policy or history is evident in the article text.
The article attributes Trump’s statements, includes Cotton’s stated rationale from his earlier speech, and clearly notes that the posted number could not be verified. Its sourcing is limited, however: Cotton’s office referred reporters back to the prior speech, the White House did not comment, and the article provides little independent analysis of the legislation.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article reports Trump’s push and Cotton’s opposition, and notes that the phone number was unverified. The account of Cotton’s position relies on an earlier speech rather than a fresh response, and the White House did not comment.
- Counterarguments presented — Cotton’s reasons for opposing permanent daylight saving time are included.
- Source diversity — The article draws on Trump’s posts and Cotton’s prior speech, but offers limited independent or contemporaneous comment.
- Omitted context — The White House did not respond, and Cotton’s office directed reporters to his earlier speech.
- Loaded language — Most charged wording is directly attributed to Trump.
The article reports the dispute in mostly neutral language, quoting Trump’s criticism and Cotton’s stated objections without endorsing either position.
- Language tone — Mostly descriptive wording; the article attributes critical language to Trump.
- Source selection — Includes Trump’s posts and Cotton’s previously stated rationale.
- Framing — Centers on the phone-number post and the dispute over the bill, without overtly favoring a side.
Republished with credit
Republished from USA Today, with credit to the original publisher.
13 stories · 79–84 · updated Oct 5, 2026
This is USA Today's own score, and this article is credited to USA Today. The host score in the Source Check is Bradenton Herald's.
President Donald Trump urged Arkansans to call Sen. Tom Cotton after posting a number he said was Cotton’s cellphone number, pressing him to support a Senate vote on permanent daylight saving time. The number was not confirmed as Cotton’s.
On Oct. 3, Trump posted what he described as Cotton’s cellphone number and urged Arkansans to call the senator about the Sunshine Protection Act. USA TODAY said it could not verify the number, and the White House had not responded to a request for comment.
Trump criticized Cotton for blocking the measure, while Cotton has opposed permanent daylight saving time, citing concerns about dark winter mornings and safety in a 2025 Senate speech. The article reports that the House passed legislation allowing year-round daylight saving time, but it had not passed the Senate.
Community verdict
VOTING CLOSED
No good or bad look here
This story reports what happened without casting Cotton in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Cotton’s record.
People in this story
SWIPE →
President pressing Cotton to support the legislation
Trump's version of this story ↗
Part of a bigger story
50 OUTLETSOutlets agree that Trump urged people to contact Sen. Tom Cotton and posted a number he said belonged to Cotton as he pushed for permanent daylight saving time. Cotton opposes the change, citing dark winter mornings. Left-leaning outlets focus on Trump's public pressure and phone-number post, often presenting the disclosure as an inappropriate or ineffective tactic. Center outlets largely describe both sides' policy arguments and the phone-number episode. Right-leaning outlets often pair Trump's push with Cotton's winter-morning objection, though some portray Cotton as delaying action.
- ARTICLES
- 72
- OUTLETS
- 50
- AVG CRED
- 68
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