WASHINGTON — As morning alarms roused people on the East Coast for their work days, Sen. Cory Booker still hadn’t returned home from his the night before. Instead, he was delivering an hours-long overnight speech on the Senate floor, which was still ongoing 12 hours later Tuesday morning.
Booker showed no signs of slowing down after 7 a.m., speaking with animated gestures as he slammed the Trump administration.
“Twelve hours now I’m standing, and I’m still going strong because this president is wrong, and he’s violating principles that we hold dear and principles in this document that are so clear and plain,” Booker said, holding up a copy of the Constitution.
The New Jersey Democrat took the floor at 7 p.m. Monday, announcing that he intended to disrupt “the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able.”
“I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis,” Booker said.
In the hours that followed, he painted his speech as a warning over the “grave and urgent” threat Americans faced from the Trump administration, arguing that “bedrock commitments” to the country “are being broken.”
“Unnecessary hardships are being born by Americans of all backgrounds, and institutions which are special in America, which are precious, which are unique in our country, are being recklessly — and I would say even unconstitutionally — affected, attacked and even shattered,” he said.
NBC News has reached out to the White House for comment.
Booker has remained standing during his entire speech because he would lose control of the Senate floor if he leaves his desk or sits down. He has been briefly joined by other lawmakers who have chimed in to speak and ask questions while Booker retained control of the floor — giving his voice a rest.
As of early Tuesday morning, Booker’s speech was not having an impact on floor consideration of any bills or nominations. But depending on how long he continues, the senator’s remarks could affect Senate business. The chamber is expected to vote today on Matthew Whitaker’s nomination to be the U.S. ambassador to NATO, though that timing will likely depend on whether Booker’s speech pushes past 10 a.m., when the Senate typically convenes.
During his speech, Booker shared letters from constituents and read news articles. He spoke about Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights icon who died in 2020, calling him “one of my greatest heroes of life.”
“I start tonight thinking about him, I’ve been thinking about him a lot during these last 71 days. ‘Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, help redeem the soul of America,'” Booker said, invoking Lewis’ words. “And had to ask myself, if he’s my hero, how am I living up to his words?”
Booker added that he was delivering the speech “with the intention of getting in some ‘good trouble.'”
Long speeches have put other senators on the national stage. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, spoke for 21 hours and 18 minutes to oppose the Affordable Care Act in 2013. Three years earlier, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., delivered an eight-and-a-half hour speech that is often credited with raising his political profile.
This is Booker’s first time leading a marathon speech, though he joined Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., for that senator’s nearly 15-hour-filibuster to advocate for gun control in 2016.
