Cory Booker Fights With Fellow Senate Dems Over Trump: Report
Tensions are escalating within the Senate Democratic caucus following Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) delivering a passionate outburst directed at several of his peers, accusing them of supporting what he termed pro-Trump policies.
Booker condemned the legislation at hand as a “poison pill” that aligns with former President Donald Trump’s agenda, which includes tax reductions. He cautioned that this could lead to reductions in social programs and create a disparity in police funding between blue and red states.
“The Democratic Party requires a wake-up call. I observe law firms yielding to this president, disregarding the broader principles, such as the free speech rights that allow you to represent any client; why are you yielding? I notice universities, which ought to be strongholds of free speech, capitulating to this president. I see businesses removing late-night talk show hosts from the airwaves because they dare to criticize a president,” Booker lamented during a speech on the Senate floor.
He subsequently directed his criticism towards his Democratic colleagues, a move that has significantly polarized the conference, according to reports.
“And what are the very individuals here, elected to uphold the Constitution of the United States, saying? ‘Oh well, today let’s ignore the issue and allocate some resources’ that won’t benefit Connecticut, that won’t benefit Illinois, that won’t benefit New York, but will go to the states he favors,” the tirade continued.
“That is complicity with an authoritarian leader who is undermining our Constitution,” Booker then inaccurately asserted. “It’s time for Democrats to exhibit resolve. It’s time for us to engage in the fight. It’s time for us to establish boundaries,”
He further asserted that Democrats “deserve to fail” if they persist on their current trajectory.
“When will we unite for the principles that I just learned were agreed upon? When will we come together? If we do not stand united as Democrats, we deserve to fail,” he stated.
As reported by Punchbowl News, Booker expressed even more intense comments to his colleagues in a private setting.
“Many of us in this caucus are eager to FIGHT! What troubles me at this moment is the lack of fighting spirit within this caucus,” the senator allegedly remarked.
He also reportedly accused two female senators, Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), of “enabling Donald Trump to launch a broadside attack on my state,” implying that they were complicit in permitting Trump’s policies to adversely affect Democrat-led states.
Max Cohen, a reporter for Punchbowl News, noted that Booker appeared “heated” as he exited the Senate floor. “The Democratic Party was on the verge of granting Donald Trump tens of millions of dollars, despite him having already stated to the Democratic Party, ‘I will not allow blue states to benefit from this,’” Booker conveyed to the outlet.
“They were about to be complicit in the very actions they publicly claim to oppose. Democrats must learn to fight against Trump and prevent him from causing harm. In this instance, he would have harmed police officers in numerous states,” he asserted.
This incident involving Booker occurs as Senate Democrats continue to be divided on the most effective strategy to regain control of the Senate, particularly with the upcoming 2026 electoral map presenting significant challenges. Among the three competitive races identified by the Cook Political Report, two are currently held by Democrats—Michigan and Georgia—while the party faces a difficult task in flipping North Carolina, where Senator Thom Tillis is set to retire.
Cook also categorized seats in Minnesota and New Hampshire—both occupied by retiring Democrats—as “Lean D,” while the only GOP-held seat designated as “Lean R” belongs to Senator Susan Collins in Maine. Most of the other races strongly favor one party over the other.