Cory Booker wrecks Trump and Musk in marathon speech on Senate floor
Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey took to the Senate floor on Monday night for a marathon speech lambasting the actions of the Trump administration alongside Trump megadonor Elon Musk.
“I’m heading to the Senate floor because Donald Trump and Elon Musk have shown a complete disregard for the rule of law, the Constitution, and the needs of the American people,” Booker wrote before beginning his speech.
Booker began speaking at 7 PM ET on Monday, and as of this article’s writing, the speech is ongoing. You can watch a livestream here:
Throughout his marathon speech, the senator has taken aim at key Trump policies and actions, particularly the systematic attack on multiple government agencies under the guise of Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Trump has signed off on DOGE-led purges of thousands of government employees (some purges of which judges have ruled unconstitutional), closures of federal agencies, and intrusions of sensitive government systems at agencies like the IRS and Social Security Administration.
“What kind of man is in our White House that makes fun of the disabled, who lies so much that the fact-checkers lose count, that minimizes the pain and the suffering?” Booker asked.
Booker’s speech comes as Trump is accelerating the implementation of policies like his tariffs on key U.S. allies and other countries, which economists say will raise prices on consumer goods. Simultaneously, the administration has been trying to get past the recent scandal in which sensitive war plans were mistakenly shared with a journalist in a chat hosted by senior administration officials.
Republicans are facing considerable backlash in their home states, and many have avoided town halls where citizens have expressed their frustration about Trump and Musk. But Musk has been busy attempting to use his vast fortune to pay off voters to sway elections in favor of the GOP, especially Tuesday’s election of a state Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin.
Democrats have largely struggled to find their footing in opposition to Trump’s second term. The party’s core voters have repeatedly expressed dismay in Democrats going along with Trump nominees and even voting to fund his administration.
There has been an outpouring of support for grassroots events led by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who are pushing to oppose the budding Trump-Musk oligarchy.
Booker’s speech session will not directly block Republican legislative action or nominations, but many see it as a sign of life for a party that desperately needs one.