US Senator Shatters Record with 25-Hour Anti-Trump Speech

AFP/APP

Washington: Senator Cory Booker, a Democratic lawmaker, set a new record for the longest speech in Senate history on Tuesday, standing for more than 25 hours to vehemently protest against President Donald Trump’s “unconstitutional” actions.

The senator’s display of endurance, requiring him to remain on his feet without even a break for bathroom visits, evoked memories of the classic 1939 film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Booker surpassed the previous record held by South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond, who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes in opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Booker’s speech, lasting 25 hours and five minutes, saw the Senate’s public galleries gradually fill, with Democratic lawmakers offering support while most Republicans remained absent.

“This is a moral moment. It’s not left or right. It’s right or wrong,” Booker declared as he wrapped up, quoting civil rights leader John Lewis, who urged activists to engage in “good trouble.” With a touch of humor, Booker added, “I want to go a little bit past this and then I’m going to deal with some of the biological urgencies I’m feeling.”

Although his speech did not block Senate votes like a traditional filibuster, it became a rallying cry for Democrats facing opposition from Trump’s administration. Booker criticized Trump’s radical cost-cutting policies, including cuts to government programs led by top advisor Elon Musk, and warned that Trump’s aggressive executive actions were endangering US democracy.

“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,” Booker said, before offering a message of hope: “The power of the people is greater than the people in power.”

Reflecting on the physical toll of his speech, Booker shared that he had refrained from eating and drinking for several days beforehand, which led to muscle cramps and dehydration. “My strategy was to stop eating Friday, and then stop drinking the night before I started,” he explained. “It had its benefits and its downsides.”

Throughout his speech, Booker criticized Trump’s policies, recited poetry, discussed sports, and even entertained questions from colleagues. His stamina and dedication were praised by fellow Democrats, including Senator Raphael Warnock, who thanked Booker for his “vigil for this country all night.”

The senator’s record-breaking effort and bold criticism of Trump’s agenda highlight the ongoing struggle by Democrats to counter the president’s efforts to dismantle government programs, ramp up deportations, and disregard political norms.