Democrat spoke for 17 hours against Trump's policies in the Senate
Before the live-streamed speech began, Booker explained his appearance in the Senate by citing Trump's and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader Elon Musk's "complete disregard for the rule of law, the Constitution, and the needs of the American people."
According to CNN, Booker started his speech on March 31 at 7:00 PM local time and continued until April 1 at 12:00 PM. The Democrat is opposing Trump's actions and stated, "As long as it is physically possible, I will continue my speech."
This appearance is not a filibuster (a speech that obstructs the passage of legislation) because the senator is not obstructing any laws or appointments. The publication notes that he can continue his speech as long as the podium is open, and the session hall staff and Capitol police are in their places.
"In just 71 days, the President of the United States has caused such great harm to the safety, financial stability, and core principles of our democracy that... This is not a normal time for America. They should not be evaluated the same way in the U.S. Senate," Booker said.
As a senator from New Jersey, Booker has opposed the U.S. president's policies on social security, education, immigration, and healthcare, according to the New York Times.
The politician also addressed foreign policy issues in his speech. He criticized Donald Trump for weakening NATO, being favorable towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, and making inappropriate statements calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator."
Additionally, Booker mentioned Trump's threats regarding Panama and Greenland, as well as the idea of renaming the Gulf of Mexico.
However, The Guardian notes that Booker still has a long way to go to break the Senate record. In 1957, Republican Strom Thurmond delivered a speech lasting 24 hours and 18 minutes to obstruct the Civil Rights Act.
According to AP News, 55-year-old Cory Booker was born in Washington and grew up in New Jersey. He stated that his family faced racial discrimination, including obstacles when his parents tried to buy a house.
Booker played football at Stanford, studied law at Yale University, and worked as a lawyer helping underprivileged families. He later became the mayor of Newark (New Jersey's largest city) and a U.S. senator.
In 2013, he won a special election to the Senate, then was elected for full terms in 2014 and 2020. He ran for president in 2020, but his campaign did not succeed.
