A Democratic senator has made history by breaking the record for the longest US Senate speech.
Cory Booker took to the floor Monday at 7pm local time, midnight in the UK, and declared that he would stay there for as long as he was “physically able”.
He finished his speech 25 hours and six minutes later.
Mr Booker surpassed the previous record set by Senator Strom Thurmond, who filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1957 for 24 hours and 18 minutes.
NBC News reported that Mr Booker, 55, took only short breaks from his speech to allow his Democratic colleagues to ask questions.
Due to a Senate rule that only allows speakers to hold the floor while located in the podium, Mr Booker couldn’t leave at any time, not even to eat or use the restroom.
Mr Booker told reporters afterwards that he followed a strict fasting regimen that prevented him from using the restroom for 25 hours.
“My strategy was to stop eating. I think I stopped eating on Friday, and then to stop drinking the night before I started on Monday. And that had its benefits and it had its really downsides,” he said.
“The biggest thing I was fighting was that different muscles were starting to really cramp up, and every once in a while, spasm or something.”
So, who is the Democratic senator and what was the purpose of his lengthy speech?
Who is Cory Booker?
Cory Booker is an American politician, attorney, and former mayor serving as the junior US Senator from New Jersey. He was born on April 27, 1969, in Washington, D.C., and raised in Harrington Park, New Jersey, a predominantly white suburban community. His parents, Cary and Carolyn Booker, were among the first black executives at IBM, setting an early example of breaking racial barriers.
Mr Booker attended Stanford University, earning a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in sociology. A standout athlete, he also played football for the Stanford Cardinal. He later became a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford before earning his law degree from Yale Law School.
After law school, Mr Booker worked as a public interest attorney, focusing on tenants' rights and affordable housing issues in Newark, New Jersey. His passion for community advocacy led him to enter politics. In 1998, he was elected to the Newark City Council, where he gained attention for his efforts to combat crime and improve living conditions. In 2006, he was elected mayor of Newark, a position he held until 2013. He emphasized crime reduction, urban development and economic revitalisation during his tenure.
Following the death of Senator Frank Lautenberg in 2013, Mr Booker won a special election to fill the vacant US Senate seat, officially taking office in October of that year. He was re-elected in 2014 and again in 2020. In the Senate, he has focused on issues such as criminal justice reform, affordable healthcare and racial and economic equity.
In 2019, Mr Booker launched a presidential campaign, advocating unity and social justice. However, he withdrew from the race in early 2020 due to financial challenges and low polling numbers.
Beyond politics, Mr Booker is known for his charismatic public speaking, social media engagement and commitment to service. He is also a longtime vegan advocate and outspoken on issues including criminal justice reform, gun control, and economic opportunity.
What was Cory Booker’s speech about?
Of Trump's presidency, Mr Booker said: "I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis.”
A source told CNN that Mr Booker and his team prepared 1,164 pages of material before the address, and the senator covered a wide range of topics.
Mr Booker expressed concern about the possibility of Medicaid cuts by congressional Republicans. He outlined the damage these would inflict on his constituents and all Americans nationwide.
Republicans have vowed not to reduce Medicaid, but they have stated that they will target waste, fraud and abuse. As part of their legislative agenda, they have also suggested significant expenditure cuts, though they have not explained which programme would be affected.
Mr Booker was reportedly upset while warning about the possible consequences of Trump's policies and legislative programme.
He read letters from constituents feeling the effects of Trump's measures.
Citing Trump's plans to seize Greenland and Canada while at odds with longstanding friends, he said the US was relinquishing its position as a world leader.
He occasionally attacked Elon Musk, the world's richest man, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) and advises Trump.
Mr Booker said: “In just 71 days, the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans' safety, financial stability, and the core foundations of our democracy.
“These are not normal times in America. And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate.”
Senators have delivered lengthy speeches to the chamber in recent years. These include Ted Cruz's opposition to the Affordable Care Act (2013); Rand Paul's in 2015 regarding National Security Agency surveillance programmes; Senator Chris Murphy's speech in 2016 regarding gun control (which Mr Brooker accompanied); and Jeff Merkley's in 2017 against Neil Gorsuch.
Although Mr Booker's speech isn't technically a filibuster, several sources have called it that.
A filibuster is a speech intended to prevent a piece of legislation from moving forward.
Instead, Mr Booker's speech was a more wide-ranging criticism of Trump's agenda. It aimed to delay any Senate work and highlight Democrats’ attempts to unseat the president.
