In 1957, Senator Strom Thurmond set a record for the longest speech ever delivered in the U.S. Senate, speaking for over 24 hours to argue that the Civil Rights Act constituted “cruel and unusual punishment.” That record has since been broken. On March 31st, Senator Cory Booker delivered a speech that not only surpassed Thurmond’s in length, lasting 25 hours and five minutes, but also broke the silence surrounding the Trump administration’s second term.
Booker’s speech was a cry for awareness. He believes our country is in crisis. In order to give that extremely important speech for as long as he did without yielding the floor, he had to prepare meticulously. When asked by a reporter whether he used diapers or a device to avoid leaving the Senate floor, he laughed off the suggestion, saying he relied on “a lot of tactics.” In fact, he stopped eating four days prior and stopped drinking water the night before. “My Oura Ring is telling me to see a doctor,” he admitted to Vogue, acknowledging the toll it took on his body.
“I rise with the intention of getting in some good trouble,” Booker said at the beginning of his speech. He knew he had to do something different, had to “cause some trouble.” So, although this wasn’t a filibuster, he gave a filibuster-style speech to get his message across. Knowing that the record of the longest senate speech went to Thurmond, a man speaking against the civil rights movement, Booker knew he wanted to take that position and accomplishment away from him.
After Democrats were being labeled as “leaderless” months into Trump’s term, it was a relief for many that Booker took a stand. “These are not normal times in America, and they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate,” Booker stated. His lengthy speech was in protest of the constitutional crisis and the national cost of living brought on by President Donald Trump and special government agent, Elon Musk. The speech included talk of the extensive tariffs and job losses. Additionally, Booker emphasized the voices of Americans by reading letters from constituents who voiced serious concern about the policies of the Trump Administration’s second term. These issues, from letters and the rest of his speech, ranged from deportations, social security, education, free speech, and Medicaid.
Booker’s 25-hour speech became a cultural phenomenon rather than a mere political statement. The speech was successful in igniting a national dialogue and raising public awareness. With over 350 million likes on TikTok Live and over 115,000 live streams on YouTube, the speech garnered great interest online, especially among younger audiences. His words became rallying cries in the days that followed as videos of him reading a heartfelt letter and urging for “good trouble” went viral. He stated, “The body is weary… but my soul is soaring.”
His speech serves as a reminder of the strength of determination, visibility, and utilizing all available platforms to stand up for what one believes in, whether on social media or the Senate floor.