Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley Delivered an Unprecedented 23-Hour Floor Speech Against Trump
In a historic display of parliamentary procedure, Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley took to the Senate floor for nearly 23 hours, delivering a marathon speech that pressed the case against President Donald Trump's alleged authoritarian tendencies. The speech began on Tuesday evening and concluded just after 5pm on Wednesday, with Merkel standing continuously alongside placards that read "Authoritarianism is here now!" and "Trump is violating the law."
Merkley's impassioned address was punctuated by questions from fellow Democratic senators who joined him in condemning Trump's actions. The senator repeatedly emphasized that President Trump's behavior is a threat to American democracy, invoking the memory of anti-Trump protests that took place across the country just prior.
Senate leader Chuck Schumer praised Merkley's speech as an "amazing tour de force" that echoed calls for action from the No Kings protesters who filled city streets with anti-Trump demonstrations. In contrast, Republican whip John Barrasso dismissed the speech as "rubbish," failing to address the underlying issues driving the government shutdown.
Merkley centered his remarks around Trump's deployment of troops into cities like Portland and Chicago, which he claimed were unjustified measures designed to intimidate opponents. The senator also touched on other instances where Trump has used executive power against perceived enemies, including charging a US attorney general with wrongdoing.
The speech is reminiscent of Booker's 25-hour address in March, which set a new record for the longest solo senatorial oration. Merkley's remarks were widely praised by fellow Democrats, who saw his effort as a crucial warning about Trump's actions.
As the Senate holds an eleventh failed vote on Republican-backed funding legislation, it remains to be seen whether this prolonged display of opposition will sway lawmakers into action. For now, Merkley's marathon speech stands as a testament to the senator's unwavering commitment to defending American democracy against what he sees as Trump's authoritarian agenda.
In a historic display of parliamentary procedure, Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley took to the Senate floor for nearly 23 hours, delivering a marathon speech that pressed the case against President Donald Trump's alleged authoritarian tendencies. The speech began on Tuesday evening and concluded just after 5pm on Wednesday, with Merkel standing continuously alongside placards that read "Authoritarianism is here now!" and "Trump is violating the law."
Merkley's impassioned address was punctuated by questions from fellow Democratic senators who joined him in condemning Trump's actions. The senator repeatedly emphasized that President Trump's behavior is a threat to American democracy, invoking the memory of anti-Trump protests that took place across the country just prior.
Senate leader Chuck Schumer praised Merkley's speech as an "amazing tour de force" that echoed calls for action from the No Kings protesters who filled city streets with anti-Trump demonstrations. In contrast, Republican whip John Barrasso dismissed the speech as "rubbish," failing to address the underlying issues driving the government shutdown.
Merkley centered his remarks around Trump's deployment of troops into cities like Portland and Chicago, which he claimed were unjustified measures designed to intimidate opponents. The senator also touched on other instances where Trump has used executive power against perceived enemies, including charging a US attorney general with wrongdoing.
The speech is reminiscent of Booker's 25-hour address in March, which set a new record for the longest solo senatorial oration. Merkley's remarks were widely praised by fellow Democrats, who saw his effort as a crucial warning about Trump's actions.
As the Senate holds an eleventh failed vote on Republican-backed funding legislation, it remains to be seen whether this prolonged display of opposition will sway lawmakers into action. For now, Merkley's marathon speech stands as a testament to the senator's unwavering commitment to defending American democracy against what he sees as Trump's authoritarian agenda.
I mean, 23 hours on the Senate floor? That's dedication! He really drove his point home about Trump's actions being super threatening to democracy. And you know what's even crazier? Those placards he had with him the whole time - "Authoritarianism is here now!" and "Trump is violating the law." So bold, so passionate! Chuck Schumer is totally right when he says Merkley's speech was an "amazing tour de force". I'm loving how Senators are speaking out against Trump like that. It's about time someone called him out on those unjustified troop deployments and using executive power to intimidate opponents. We need more of this kind of courage in politics! 
I mean, 23 hours straight on the Senate floor? That's either crazy dedication or just plain crazy talk 
. I'm both impressed and concerned at the same time - Merkley's speech was super passionate, but also kind of exhausting to watch. Does he think that's gonna break the other senators' resolve or bring 'em on board with his cause? 
Not sure if it's just a bunch of empty words or actually something concrete is happening behind the scenes. Still, kudos to him for standing up (literally!) and saying what needs to be said 
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. Either way, it worked 
. The guy just wouldn't stop 
. I mean, I'd be exhausted too if I had to stand for that long 
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, especially John Barrasso dismissing it as "rubbish" 
. I wonder if this stunt will actually lead to some changes in the Senate 
and now we'll just have to wait and see what happens next 
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and I'm still thinking about that incredible truffle mac 'n cheese... anyway, have you guys tried those new plant-based burgers at the festival? They're insane! I mean, who needs meat when you can have flavor like that? And speaking of flavor, I just got a new coffee maker and it's changed my morning routine forever 
️. I'm not gonna lie, I was a bit skeptical about buying a fancy coffee machine, but man... it's worth every penny! 
. We need more leaders like him, you know? The kind of people who aren't afraid to take risks and speak truth to power. Barrasso's response just seemed out of touch, imo 
. It's not about being all partisan or anything; it's about standing up for what's right.
. One thing's for sure, though – it's been a wild ride watching these politicians go at it 
and yeah Schumer's praise for him was pretty on point tho, that guy knows how to bring the heat 
! 23 hours on the floor? that's dedication! i love how he spoke truth to power and didn't back down from calling out trump's authoritarian tendencies 
but barrasso dismissing it as "rubbish"? no thanks 
... and Schumer calling it an "amazing tour de force" is pretty on point 
. One thing's for sure, though - Merkley's speech won't be forgotten anytime soon 
Merkley's 23 hour speech was pretty powerful tho, it showed that one person can make a difference 
we need more ppl like Merkley to stand up against trump's antics 
Schumer's praise for the speech was well-deserved btw 
I get that he wanted to make his point but come on, who can sit for that long? and the fact that it had to happen because of trump's actions is a real shame... I feel like the senate is supposed to be about finding common ground not playing politics over 2 days 
Jeff Merkley must be really passionate about stopping Donald Trump's authoritarian ways. It's amazing how much energy and dedication a politician needs to make an impact like this.
"Authoritarianism is here now!" and "Trump is violating the law". That's some serious guts, you know? And I have to say, it's awesome how he's standing up for democracy and American values. The government shutdown thing is really concerning though... can't lawmakers just work together to solve problems?
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. Either way, Merkley's commitment to defending democracy is something we should all be paying attention to