Cory Booker shatters US Senate record with 25-hour anti-Trump speech; here's what he said

Senate Cory Booker speaking on the Senate floor

US Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey made a historic display of endurance and political conviction as he delivered a marathon speech on Senate floor lasting for over 25 hours, where he spoke at length against President Donald Trump's "unconstitutional" actions..

Booker set a new record for the longest continuous address in U.S. Senate history. Beginning at 7 pm on March 31, 2025, and concluding after 8 pm on April 1, Booker's speech surpassed the previous record held by Senator Strom Thurmond's 1957 filibuster against the Civil Rights Act.

Senator Cory Booker's display of endurance -- to hold the floor he had to remain standing and could not even go to the bathroom -- recalled the famous scene in Frank Capra's 1939 film classic "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

The longest Senate speech on record before Tuesday was delivered by South Carolina's Strom Thurmond, who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

Booker, only the fourth Black senator to be popularly elected to the body, blew past that deadline, his voice still strong but emotional as he topped out at 25 hours and five minutes.

Foundations of democracy

Although Booker's talk-a-thon was not actually blocking the majority Republican Party from holding votes in the Senate, as would be the case in a true filibuster, his defiance quickly became a rallying point for beleaguered Democrats.

Booker, a former presidential candidate, seized command in the chamber at 7:00 pm (2300 GMT) Monday and finished at 8:05 pm Tuesday.

He lashed out at Trump's radical cost-cutting policies that have seen his top advisor Elon Musk, the world's richest person, slash entire government programs without consent from Congress.

The senator said Trump's aggressive seizing of ever-more executive power had put US democracy at risk.

"Unnecessary hardships are being borne by Americans of all backgrounds. And institutions which are special in America, which are precious and which are unique in our country, are being recklessly -- and I would say even unconstitutionally -- affected, attacked, even shattered," Booker said.