After President Donald Trump publicly posted a Republican senator’s cell phone number, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said he doesn’t agree with the president’s rash move.
Trump posted the supposed phone number of Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) in a Truth Social post on Saturday after Cotton blocked a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent.
“Call Tom on his cellphone at, 479-453-0533, and let him know,” Trump wrote in the post. “‘The Sunshine Protection Act’ was passed in the House by a Vote of 308 to 117. HAVE THE SENATE VOTE, NOW!”
Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Kennedy called Trump his “friend,” but admitted that he disapproves of the president openly doxxing his Senate colleague.
“I don’t think he should have given out Tom’s cell phone number. I don’t think that’s going to help convince Tom,” Kennedy said, before noting that Trump “exists loudly” and can be “tempestuous.”
“He can go from zero to a-hole in about three seconds,” the senator added.
Kennedy also defended Cotton, calling him a “rock star senator” who “feels strongly” against ending the practice of changing clocks twice a year and making daylight saving time permanent through the Trump-backed Sunshine Protection Act.
“If you get between him and what’s best for Arkansas, he’ll devour you like a light snack,” he said of Cotton.
Kennedy argued that “there are disputes in Congress that have existential significance for the future of Western civilization,” but “daylight saving time is not one of them.”
Kennedy then told moderator Kristen Welker: “And I have your cellphone number, but I promise not to give it out.”
Cotton hasn’t appeared to publicly respond to Trump’s post, however, he explained his opposition to the Sunshine Protection Act in an X post on Saturday.
“No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Saving Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter.”
Cotton added, “Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.”
When reporters questioned Trump over why he gave out Cotton’s direct contact information, the president ranted about how “ridiculous” it is to not make daylight saving time permanent.
“We want to get away from this ridiculous way and custom of every — twice a year, turning your clocks back, turning your clocks forward, being late for dinner, being late for very important meetings. It’s ridiculous, and if you look at the public, they agree. That’s a 100% issue,” Trump said.
Listen to Kennedy’s comments below.