NJ Senator Cory Booker filibusters against President Trump's actions

Senator Cory Booker has begun a filibuster wherein he plans to speak as long as he is "physically able" in a protest against the Trump administration's policies.

A filibuster, as defined by the United States Senate, is a form of prolonged debate used to "delay or prevent a vote on a bill, resolution, amendment, or other debatable question".

The filibuster is a form of action that has been used by United States Senators for over a hundred years. It was used in 1917 by Wisconsin senator Robert La Follette to demand free speech during wartime, and again in the 1930s by Senator Huey P. Long to fight against bills that he said favored the rich over the poor.

Early on in Booker's filibuster he read from the Constitution and reminded his fellow Senators that all of them swore an oath to uphold the historic document. “These are not normal times in our nation,” the senator said. “And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them.”

Interestingly enough, Booker's speech is not universally agreed to qualify as a filibuster. CNN reported the event as a 'marathon speech', specifying that as he is not directly blocking any particular piece of legislation or debate, the term does not apply; a similar claim was made by the Washington Post and by Fox news. Though the United States Senate does describe the filibuster as a 'loosely defined' term, so it is unclear whether or not it is technically accurate.

Since Booker began his speech at 7:00 p.m., Monday night, March 31st, Donald Trump has posted 56 "Truths" on his official TruthSocial page. As of writing this article, the speech has been going for roughly 17 hours, which means the President has made roughly 3 posts an hour since its beginning, with no mention about the speech or its implications. Some of Trump's posts include an article about "Trump Derangement Syndrome" supposedly exhibited by Democrats, an article suggesting Europe make a "$200 Billion Deal" with Trump to buy weapons for Ukraine, and an announcement that episodes of "The Apprentice" will be streaming on Amazon Prime. None of the posts mention the speech or the senator's claims.

Booker says that the actions of DOGE (the "Department of Government Efficiency) "make no sense", and that their actions do not benefit the very American people they claim to represent. He says that the Trump administration is taking healthcare from children, seniors, and expecting mothers and that the patriotic response he expects from the American people is "Donald Trump, go screw yourself".

17 hours in, Booker said he will "not complain" when asked how he is holding up. It is unclear how long he plans to continue, and it is likely he will continue to comment on the constitutionality of the President and DOGE's actions.