US Senator Cory Booker set a new Senate record with a 25-hour speech against Trump’s policies while protesting Social Security cuts and rallying Democratic resistance. His historic stand drew nationwide attention as he called for stronger action to protect democracy.

In a dramatic show of resistance against President Donald Trump's policies, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker delivered a record-breaking 25-hour and 5-minute speech on the Senate floor, surpassing a decades-old record.

Booker believes that the American dream isn't real for anyone unless it's within reach of everyone. Cory has dedicated his life to fighting for those who have been left out, left behind, or left without a voice.

Booker's marathon speech, which stretched overnight and into the next evening, was aimed at demonstrating Democratic opposition to Trump's agenda, particularly his administration's proposed cuts to Social Security offices under the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE).

The speech also carried historical significance, as Booker shattered the previous record held by segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in 1957 to oppose the Civil Rights Act.

'We must do better' – Booker calls for stronger Democratic resolve

Throughout his speech, Booker called on Democrats to unify and strengthen their resistance, emphasizing that the country was facing an extraordinary political crisis.

"These are not normal times in our nation,” Booker declared. “The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them."

He also invoked civil rights leader John Lewis, urging Americans to take meaningful action beyond speeches and political posturing.

"You think we got civil rights because Strom Thurmond changed his mind? No. We got civil rights because people marched, people bled, and John Lewis sacrificed," Booker said.

Booker stood for more than a full day with only a few glasses of water to sustain him, having fasted before the speech. Democratic colleagues, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, joined him at times, offering encouragement and questions to help keep the speech going.

Jeffries described the moment as "an incredibly powerful stand for democracy."

While Booker's speech was not a formal filibuster, it was designed to draw national attention to what Democrats see as harmful policies from the Trump administration. The event was widely watched, with tens of thousands tuning in to live streams and supporters gathering outside the Capitol.

As Democrats look to the future, Booker’s record-breaking speech may solidify his status as a rising leader in the party. With a new generation of Democrats frustrated with the party’s old guard, Booker’s stand could position him as a key figure in the ongoing political fight.

"I may be afraid — my voice may shake — but I’m going to speak up more," Booker concluded, as the Senate chamber erupted in applause.

Who is Cory Becker?

Cory grew up in northern New Jersey and received his undergraduate and master’s degree from Stanford University. At Stanford, Cory played varsity football, volunteered for the campus peer counseling center, and wrote for the student newspaper. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship and went on to study at the University of Oxford, and then Yale Law School, where he graduated in 1997.

At 29, Cory was elected to the Newark City Council, where he challenged the city’s entrenched political machine and fought to increase economic security for city residents, expand access to health care, and improve public safety.

Cory served as Newark mayor from 2006 until 2013. During his tenure, the city experienced economic growth on a scale not seen since the 1960s. In addition, under Cory’s leadership, overall crime declined, affordable housing and green spaces massively expanded, city services were made more efficient, and educational opportunities increased.

In October 2013, Cory won a special election to represent New Jersey in the United States Senate. In November 2014, he was re-elected to a full six-year term.

As New Jersey’s Senator, Cory Booker has brought an innovative and consensus-building approach to tackling some of the most difficult problems facing New Jersey and the country. He has emerged as a national leader in the effort to fix broken criminal justice system and end mass incarceration, helping craft the most sweeping set of criminal justice reforms in a generation, the First Step Act, which became law in December 2018.

Cory sits on the Judiciary Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and the Small Business Committee.