New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker on Tuesday evening broke the record for the longest floor speech in the Senate’s history with a marathon speech taking aim at the Trump administration’s policies and efforts to downsize the federal government.
Booker continued speaking after surpassing the 24-hour-and-18 minute record set in 1957 by South Carolina Democrat Strom Thurmond. Booker yielded the floor after holding it for 25 hours and four minutes, according to the Senate Periodical Gallery.
The senior senator for New Jersey acknowledged the moment as Democrats on the floor cheered.
“The man who tried to stop the rights upon which I stand … I’m not here though because of his speech, I’m here despite his speech,” Booker said of Thurmond, the Dixiecrat-turned-Republican and foe of the Civil Rights Act.
Channeling the spirit of the late Georgia Democratic House member and civil rights activist John Lewis, Booker had held the Senate floor since Monday night in what he called an effort to stir up “good trouble.”
“I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able,” Booker said in his familiar booming voice Monday evening. “I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our nation is in crisis.”
Booker’s marathon speech appeared to be part of a broader effort on behalf of the Senate Democratic leadership team — in which Booker serves as the strategic communications chair — to regain the spotlight as the party faces building pressure from its base to take a more assertive role in fighting against the Trump administration.
Booker is no stranger to spending long periods of time on the Senate floor. He enjoys the rituals of the chamber and is often seen enthusiastically presiding over the Senate.
In 2016, Booker joined Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., in delivering a 15-hour filibuster in support of gun control legislation. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2013 came close to the record when he took to the Senate floor to speak for over 21 hours in opposition to the 2010 health care law.
In the final act of his speech, Booker again reflected on the legacy of Lewis, who he said “changed” his life.
“I’ll be honest with you I don’t know what he would say. But John Lewis would say something, he would do something. He wouldn’t treat this moral moment like it was normal,” Booker said.
Political protest
Booker took the lectern at 7 p.m. Monday night to begin the overnight speech which has been interrupted only by brief interludes to yield to Democratic colleagues for questions.
He covered a wide swath of topics — from immigration to cuts to public education and Social Security to free speech and foreign policy concerns.
Booker also used his time to read aloud portions of letters from constituents impacted by the administration’s policies, often pausing to recognize his Democratic colleagues (without relinquishing the floor). They took turns offering up their own criticism of the administration and giving Booker an opportunity to rest his voice.
“This is an American moral moment,” Booker said Tuesday afternoon in response to a question on the floor from Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif. “This is a question of where we stand for health care, where do we stand for Social Security, where do we stand for VA benefits…”
Unlike other lengthy floor speeches, Booker’s speech was not technically a filibuster because he was not trying to block any specific nominee or piece of legislation.
His focus was on calling out President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, for a series of policies Booker says have “shown a complete disregard for the rule of law, the Constitution, and the needs of the American people,” he wrote on the social platform X ahead of his speech.
Under Senate rules, a senator who is recognized by the presiding officer can, except for certain situations, hold the floor for as long as they can remain standing and speaking in the chamber. (Booker reportedly told a staff member to remove the chair under the podium to help him resist the temptation to sit.)
Booker could not formally yield the floor or leave the chamber to use the restroom, because doing so would have allowed the presiding officer to recognize another senator and move the chamber onto other business.
Still, his remarks delayed anticipated legislative business as the Senate had planned to vote Tuesday on Matthew Whitaker’s nomination to be the U.S. ambassador to NATO. The Senate proceeded to the confirmation vote immediately after Booker concluded his remarks.
Thus far, neither Trump nor Elon Musk have issued public statements regarding Booker’s speech.
However, advocacy groups took notice of Booker’s political protest.
“Especially now, with @POTUS laying the foundation for an unconstitutional third term, we must all use our platforms — no matter how big or small — to cause this wannabe dictator hell,” Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP wrote on X Tuesday. “The darkest times call on all of us to be courageous, and that is what @SenBooker is doing.”
A YouTube livestream of the senator’s remarks garnered over 70,000 concurrent viewers Tuesday afternoon.
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