Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) took to the Senate floor on Monday night, spoke for 13 hours straight to protest U.S. President Donald Trump, DOGE Chief Elon Musk, and their policies. His speech, which continued into Tuesday morning, covered topics ranging from immigration and Social Security to research funding.
Booker criticized Trump and Musk for their disregard for the Constitution and the American people, calling for more action in Congress. This dramatic move follows frustrations among liberal voters after Democratic senators voted to advance a Republican spending bill in March.
It’s been over 13 hours since I started speaking, and I intend to stay on the Senate floor as long as I’m physically able. I’m here to do my job, as a Senator from New Jersey, to lift the voices of Americans who are being harmed by President Trump. I'm am speaking up. pic.twitter.com/dCjhYAP8NL
— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) April 1, 2025
Booker, inspired by the late civil rights leader John Lewis, said he was speaking to elevate the voices of those being harmed. Though not a filibuster, Booker took brief breaks to yield the floor to colleagues, continuing his protest with the goal of drawing attention to the urgency of the moment.