On the evening of May 31, Senator Cory Booker (D) of New Jersey began a 25-hour marathon speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate. He stated, “I rise with the intention of disrupting 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.” He held the floor in protest of the Trump administration’s actions and Elon Musk’s interference in various critical government functions, such as social safety nets, via the Department of Government Efficiency.

In order to hold the floor, he was not allowed to sit down, use the restroom, eat food or stop speaking for more than a moment at a time. He used the time to speak about the harm that the Trump administration’s policies and agenda have caused throughout the country. Particularly, Senator Booker voiced concerns raised by his constituents about a myriad of topics, ranging from proposed cuts to social security to planned reductions of veteran benefits.

As of approximately 7:18 p.m. on April 1, the evening after he began, he officially broke the record for longest marathon speech. According to Senator Booker, it was more than breaking a record, as the previous record holder was the late Senator Strom Thurmond who spoke for 24 hours to filibuster the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Senator Booker stated publicly that reclaiming the record for a noble cause means a lot to him personally, as the filibuster aimed to prevent “people like [him]” from taking office, as he is a senator of color.

Other senators, including Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D) of New York, periodically provided Senator Booker with opportunities to rest his voice by asking him intentionally prolonged questions, during which he was not obligated to speak.

Senator Booker repeatedly quoted the late John Lewis saying that we need to engage in “good trouble, necessary trouble.” A few days after the marathon concluded, his office sent an email saying, “[f]or 25 hours … I had the honor of reading the letters, calls, and stories that … Americans from all across the country have shared with me … since Donald Trump took the oath of office.” Booker stated, “I rose because Trump and Musk’s actions have caused undue harm to Americans of all backgrounds.” He concluded, “[t]he only way we will continue to counter the constant barrage of lies, distractions, and attacks is if we choose to stand up and speak out, together.”