In an unprecedented act of political endurance, Senator Cory Booker delivered the longest speech in U.S. Senate history: 25 hours and 5 minutes spent denouncing what he called a national crisis caused by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey and former presidential candidate, began his remarks at 7 p.m. on Monday and concluded just after 8 p.m. on Tuesday. According to The New York Times, he structured the marathon speech around core themes, assailing Trump’s policies on health care, education, immigration, and national security.

“I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able,” Booker said early in his speech. “I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our nation is in crisis.”

Although the speech did not qualify as a filibuster — since it did not obstruct a specific bill or nomination — it effectively stalled Senate proceedings and became a rallying cry for Democrats. According to AFP, Booker shattered the record set by Strom Thurmond in 1957, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act.

“Strom Thurmond’s record always... really irked me,” Booker later told MSNBC. “That the longest speech on our great Senate floor was someone who was trying to stop people like me from being in the Senate.”

Booker had to remain standing the entire time, without bathroom breaks or food. He later revealed that his strategy included fasting and stopping liquid intake the night before the speech. “Different muscle groups start to really cramp up,” he told reporters. In a statement from his office, he added he was “tired and a little hoarse.”

As the hours passed, the Senate chamber’s public gallery filled with onlookers. Democratic senators stopped by to offer support, while Republicans largely stayed away. Senator Raphael Warnock told Booker on the floor, “I just want to thank you for holding vigil for this country all night.”

In one emotional section, Booker condemned what he described as the Trump administration’s disregard for democratic institutions and norms. “In just 71 days, the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy,” he said. “Unnecessary hardships are being borne by Americans of all backgrounds.”

He singled out Trump’s top advisor, billionaire Elon Musk, for cutting entire government programs “without consent from Congress.” Booker added: “Institutions which are special in America, which are precious and which are unique in our country, are being recklessly — and I would say even unconstitutionally — affected, attacked, even shattered.”

According to The New York Times, Booker’s speech was also a symbolic move by Democrats to reclaim the political narrative after weeks of being on the defensive. He quoted speeches by civil rights leader John Lewis and late Senator John McCain, and even read a personal account from Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian citizen detained by U.S. immigration agents.

Despite the length of his address, Booker remained energized well into the next morning. “I’m rip-roaring and ready,” he said. “I’m wide awake. I’m going to stand here for as many hours as I can.”

As he closed, Booker returned to the moral dimension of his protest. “This is a moral moment. It's not left or right. It's right or wrong,” he said. Echoing John Lewis, he urged Americans to get into “good trouble” before finally declaring, “Madam President, I yield the floor.”

Neither Trump’s Truth Social account nor Musk’s X feed mentioned the historic speech. But for many Democrats, it was a moment of clarity and defiance.

“If you love your neighbor, if you love this country, show your love,” Booker said. “Stop them from doing what they're trying to (do).”

With information from AFP