U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has been speaking on the Senate floor since 7 p.m. ET on Monday evening to protest what he sees as a national crisis. His speech, which he says he will continue as long as he can physically handle it, isn’t officially a filibuster, since he isn’t trying to block any nominations or legislation. But it is a passionate protest.
Booker’s speech is mainly focused on the harm President Trump and Elon Musk are causing to America, particularly in terms of safety, financial stability, and democracy. He has made it clear that the country is in a tough spot and says the Senate should not act like everything is normal.
“I’m heading to the Senate floor because Donald Trump and Elon Musk have shown a complete disregard for the rule of law, the Constitution, and the needs of the American people,” Booker posted on X earlier on Monday.
The senator spoke out about Trump’s actions over the past 71 days, saying, “In just 71 days, the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy.” He went on to say that these are not ordinary times, and the Senate needs to treat them seriously.
One of the key issues Booker brought up during his speech was the potential cuts to Medicaid being considered by Republicans in Congress. He argued that such cuts would harm Americans, including those in his own state of New Jersey.
Republicans claim their agenda is focused on fighting fraud, waste, and abuse, but they haven’t explained which programs might be targeted for cuts. Booker responded, saying, “It is maddening in this country to create greater and greater health care crisis and for us not to solve it but to battle back and forth between trying to make incremental changes or to tear it all down with no plan to make it better, leaving more Americans suffering.”
He also paid tribute to the late Senator John McCain, recalling McCain’s important vote on health care in 2017. Booker said, “Senator McCain, I know you wouldn’t sanction this; I know you would be screaming.”
As Booker continued his speech, he answered questions from other senators, giving him brief breaks but allowing him to keep the floor. His speech is not expected to reach the record for the longest speech in Senate history, which stands at 24 hours and 18 minutes by the late Senator Strom Thurmond in 1957, but it still shows Booker’s determination to fight for what he believes in.
