25 hours and 5 minutes was the total length of Senator Cory Booker's speech. He didn’t sit, eat, or use the bathroom. According to NPR, the New Jersey Democrat broke the world record for the longest floor speech in the history of the Senate Chamber, held since 1957, by Strom Thurmond, for 24 hours and 18 minutes. It was streamed on multiple social media platforms, and millions of people tuned in to watch. The speech resonated with many people and went viral on social media.

Booker’s speech, which began on March 31 and ended on early April 2, aimed to oppose recent policy decisions under President Trump, including tariffs and budget cuts. During the speech, he talked about issues affecting low-income communities, education funding, and the environmental policies of Donald Trump. He started at 7 pm and pledged to go on for as long as he was “physically able,” as he stated in a video he posted on X. He criticized the administration, which he described as a “moral crisis,” and their attacks on democracy, healthcare, education, and civil rights.

As for how the Senator prepared for this marathon speech, he told reporters in this video that he hadn’t eaten since Friday and stopped drinking fluids the night before so he wouldn’t have to take bathroom breaks and could stand for so long. He also compiled a 1,164-page book filled with prepared material, including personal stories from Americans, which he shared throughout his speech.

Harborfields student Violet Vutrano reflected on Booker’s determination, saying, “It’s inspiring to me how dedicated he is to standing up for his beliefs and opinions.”

Booker’s record-breaking speech has sparked both criticism and praise, but his commitment will go down in Senate history.

Cory Booker’s World Record for the Longest Senate Floor Speech