Senator Cory Booker made history this week by delivering the longest continuous speech ever recorded in the U.S. Senate, speaking for 25 hours and 4 minutes in a dramatic protest against President Donald Trump’s administration.

The New Jersey Democrat began his address at 7:00 p.m. on Monday and concluded at 8:06 p.m. Tuesday evening, using the unprecedented floor time to decry what he described as a “grave and urgent” moment for American democracy. Though not classified as a formal filibuster—since it didn’t aim to block any specific bill—Booker’s speech brought legislative business in the GOP-controlled Senate to a halt.

Booker surpassed the longstanding record held by Republican Senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in 1957 in opposition to the Civil Rights Act. In a poignant moment, Booker—who is African American and the descendant of both enslaved people and slaveholders—noted the historical weight of the moment.

“Thurmond once used this chamber to stall civil rights,” Booker said. “Today, I speak for civil liberties, justice, and the soul of this nation. As powerful as he once was, the people are more powerful.”

Throughout the speech, Booker criticized what he called the erosion of democratic norms, attacks on civil rights, and what he described as growing authoritarian tendencies under Trump’s leadership.

Senate rules dictate that such speeches must be delivered while standing and prohibit bathroom breaks or leaving the chamber. At 55, Booker said he had trained for the physical toll and was prepared to speak “as long as I am able.”

As the fourth-ranking Senate Democrat, Booker has increasingly taken a leadership role in voicing concerns over the direction of the country under Trump. His record-setting speech now stands as a defining moment of that resistance.