By Kylie Macallister
Correspondent
New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker has set a new record for the longest speech on the Senate floor as a form of protest against the agenda of the Trump administration.
Booker's speech was 25 hours and five minutes long, beating the previous record of 24 hours and 18 minutes set by Sen. Strom Thurmond in 1957. Thurmond, who was a segregationist, held the record for 68 years after attempting to block the Civil Rights Act of 1957 from being passed.
Although a number of prolonged speeches and filibusters had taken place following Thurmond's 1957 record-breaking delivery, it was not until Booker's speech on Tuesday that the long-held record was officially broken.
Booker began his speech by expressing his gratitude to the Senate and the individuals who keep the Senate functional.
"I want to say on the top that I have tremendous love for this institution, and a lot of that is born from the people that are here," Booker said.
Booker then proceeded to discuss the history of the United States and the Senate, emphasizing the differences between the Senate today and the one the founding fathers of the U.S. initially established.
"I don't think that our founders would have imagined a body like this," Booker said. "With Black people on both sides of the aisle, with women serving here, with folks from many different backgrounds.”
Booker then followed up this discussion by revealing the objective of his speech, stating, "I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the U.S. Senate for as long as I am physically able.”
Booker then shifted the focus of his speech to discussing the ongoing state of the country, and his dissatisfaction with the current administration.
"What is going on in our country is not normal, that this going on in our country is wrong," Booker said.
With the growing disdain for the Trump administration amongst Democrats, Booker's record-breaking speech has become a source of motivation for the Democratic party, according to CNN.
Sen. Peter Welch, a Democrat from Vermont, was one of many individuals who expressed their support for Booker’s speech. Welch took to the social media app X on April 1 to share his opinion, stating, "[Sen. Cory Booker] refuses to pretend that what President Trump and Republicans are doing is normal. I couldn't agree more."
Another supporter of Booker's speech was Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who praised Booker during his speech on the Senate floor, according to The Guardian.
"Would the Senator yield for a question?" Schumer asked.
"Chuck Schumer," Booker said. “It's the only time in my life I can tell you no."
However, Schumer refused Booker's denial for questioning and proceeded to ask Booker, "Do you know you have just broken the record? Do you know how proud this caucus is of you? Do you know how proud America is of you?"
After over 25 hours without sitting, water, food nor bathroom breaks, Booker concluded his speech, stating, "I yield the floor."
The moment that Booker concluded his speech, the Senate floor immediately erupted in a long applause. Booker proceeded to express gratitude once again to those who make up the Senate before officially walking away from the podium.
Booker spoke to reporters after his speech, expressing his reasoning and motivations for his actions.
"Since I've gotten to the Senate, I always felt it was a strange shadow hanging over this institution," Booker told CNN. "That the longest speech, all the issues that have come up, all the noble causes that people have done, or the things that typically try to stop – I just found it strange that he had the record."
After a long-awaited rest, Booker took to X on April 2 to express his gratitude for the support that came after his speech.
“After getting some rest, I am in awe of everyone who continues to lift their voice and speak out,” Booker said. “This is a moment for our country, and we must make a choice about the America we want to be.”
