Democratic Senator Delivers 15-Hour Senate Speech Protesting Trump Policies Amid Government Shutdown

Senator Jeff Merkley held a marathon speech on the Senate floor, lasting over 15 hours, to protest President Donald Trump's policies and the ongoing government shutdown, which has become the second longest in U.S. history. Merkley accused Trump of undermining democracy and orchestrating an "authoritarian takeover" by deploying military forces against U.S. cities without requests, weaponizing the Department of Justice, and attacking free speech and the press. He warned that Trump's actions pose the greatest threat to the republic since the Civil War and criticized the administration's targeting of political adversaries. Democrats expressed support for Merkley's protest, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other senators praising him, while the White House dismissed the speech as unhelpful amid the funding impasse. This filibuster reflects Democrats’ growing willingness to use drastic measures to challenge Republican control and President Trump’s policies amid stalled negotiations. The speech follows a precedent set earlier by Senator Cory Booker, who delivered the longest Senate speech in protest of the Trump administration earlier in the year.