Sen. Cory Booker breaks record with marathon critique of Trump administration

The New Jersey Democratic senator spoke standing on the Senate floor for 25 hours and 5 minutes. Booker focused his speech, now the longest in Senate history, on frustrations with President Donald Trump’s policies.

Booker criticized Trump’s immigration policy and decisions to dismantle or cut government programs and departments like the education and health departments. Booker’s speech was not a filibuster, intended to stall the passage of specific legislation. Instead, Booker insisted it was meant to rally Americans and Democrats to resist Trump’s policies. Booker also read letters from his constituents that highlighted their concerns.

Senate Democrats helped Booker continue his speech by periodically asking questions so he could take a break, though Booker made sure each time to say he did not yield the floor.

Booker later told reporters he fasted for days before the speech and stopped drinking fluids the night before to ensure he could remain on the Senate floor.

Who held the previous record for longest continuous Senate floor speech? Strom Thurmond, D-S.C., set the previous record in 1957 when he spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes. Thurmond, a segregationist, filibustered to delay the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

Booker referenced Thurmond in his speech, saying he was speaking despite Thurmond’s racist legacy. Booker mentioned his heritage as a descendant of both slaves and slaveholders. The Senate chamber filled with applause on Tuesday when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced Booker had broken Thurmond’s record.