“It’s Dark! It’s Depressing!”: Trump demands Tom Cotton release the sun
Cotton opposes permanent daylight saving time, and Trump publicly pressured him to change his position.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYSalon is an established publication with a clear institutional identity, but this is an opinion piece rather than straight reporting. The article attributes social media posts and some claims, though it offers limited sourcing for its historical account.
- Source type — Opinion format warrants a lower score than a straight-news report.
- Transparency — The publisher and author are identified.
- Author attribution — The piece is attributed to CK Smith.
- Editorial standards — Salon is an established outlet, though this article does not demonstrate extensive original sourcing.
The article includes direct quotations and distinguishes Trump’s claims from its account of the daylight-saving-time history. However, it provides little sourcing for that historical account, and the piece’s opinionated, comic framing leaves limited room for fuller examination of competing arguments.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes Trump’s stated arguments, Cotton’s objection, and a golf-industry estimate supporting the change. Its critical framing dominates, and the historical rebuttal is presented without much sourcing or additional perspectives.
- Counterarguments presented — Trump’s case and Cotton’s concern about dark winter mornings both appear.
- Source diversity — The piece refers to Trump’s posts, Cotton’s position, and an estimate cited by the PGA Tour CEO, but has few independent voices.
- Loaded language — The headline and narrative use conspicuously mocking language.
- Omitted context — The account gives limited sourcing and detail for the historical reversal and current arguments.
The article uses mocking language about Trump and frames his campaign against standard time as a political crusade. Its skeptical treatment of his claims gives the piece a left-leaning tone.
- Language tone — The headline and opening use ridicule and comic framing.
- Framing — Trump’s effort is presented as a personal crusade rather than primarily as a policy debate.
- Headline — The headline caricatures Trump’s demand.
Trump demanded that Sen. Tom Cotton stop opposing permanent daylight saving time and urged Arkansans to call him after posting what Trump said was Cotton’s cellphone number. Cotton argues the change would leave children traveling to school before sunrise in winter.
Trump used Truth Social posts to press Cotton to support permanent daylight saving time, saying it would give Arkansas an extra hour of afternoon daylight. Trump also posted what he said was Cotton’s cellphone number and urged Arkansans to call the senator. Cotton has argued that permanent daylight saving time would mean children travel to school before sunrise during winter.
The article says the Sunshine Protection Act would end the twice-yearly clock change by keeping daylight saving time year-round, shifting an hour of daylight from morning to evening rather than creating more daylight. It recounts that Congress adopted year-round daylight saving time during the 1970s energy crisis, then reversed course amid public concern about dark winter mornings. As of publication, clocks were scheduled to fall back for most of the country on Nov. 1.
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 who pressed Cotton to support permanent daylight saving time
Trump's version of this story ↗
Senator who co-sponsored the Sunshine Protection Act
Senator who has opposed the measure
Former senator who co-sponsored the Sunshine Protection Act
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
Discussion · 0
Loading comments…