Merkley’s Senate Speech: Protesting Trump Policies | [Year]

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Senator Merkley’s Overnight Speech Protests Trump Administration Policies

A marathon address on the Senate floor by Senator Jeff Merkley,an Oregon Democrat,served as a powerful protest against policies enacted during the Trump administration. Beginning Tuesday evening and continuing into Wednesday morning, the speech-delivered starting at 6:21 p.m.-focused on concerns ranging from deportation efforts to the potential deployment of the National Guard in American cities.

Did you know?-The senate allows unlimited debate, a tradition known as a filibuster. While a formal filibuster requires 60 votes to end,extended speeches like Merkley’s can draw attention to issues and delay votes.

A Constitutional Crisis?

Merkley framed his extended remarks as an urgent warning. “I’ve come to the Senate floor tonight to ring the alarm bells,” he stated. “We’re in the most perilous moment, the biggest threat to our republic since the Civil War.President Trump is shredding our Constitution.” The senator specifically criticized the administration’s approach to the Justice Department,characterizing it as a “weaponization” of the system,and raised alarms about attempts to federalize National Guard units for deployment within U.S. cities.

Support From Across the Aisle

Several senators joined Merkley in the extended debate, posing questions that allowed him brief respites throughout the night and into the following morning. New Jersey Senators Andy Kim and Cory Booker, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, Washington Senator Maria Cantwell, Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, and Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy all participated in the dialog.

pro tip:-Following Senate debates online can be complex. C-SPAN and official Senate websites offer transcripts and video archives, but searching by senator or date is often necessary to locate specific remarks.

Portland Under Scrutiny

The city of Portland,Oregon-which Merkley represents-featured prominently in his address. The city has been a frequent target of criticism from the former president, and recently became the focus of a directive to the Defense Department to coordinate the deployment of National Guard troops.A federal appeals court recently ruled to allow the administration to federalize and deploy Oregon national Guard members to Portland while ongoing legal challenges are addressed.

Merkley argued that the administration is deliberately attempting to portray Portland as a city consumed by “chaos and riots.” According to the senator, this manufactured narrative is intended to create the illusion of a “rebellion,” providing a pretext for increased authoritarian control. “president Trump wants us to believe…if he can say to the American people that there are riots, he can say there’s a rebellion,” Merkley explained. “And if there’s a rebellion, he can use that to strengthen his authoritarian grip on our nation.”

However, Merkley insisted that Portland residents are not responding as the administration anticipates. He described their demonstrations as characterized by “joy and whimsy,” asserting that they are actively working to dispel the false narrative of widespread unrest.

A History of Protest Speeches

Merkley’s lengthy address is not an isolated event. Senator Cory Booker previously delivered a record-breaking speech exceeding 25 hours on the Senate floor to protest Trump administration policies. Furthermore, in 2017, Merkley himself engaged in an extended speech lasting over 15 hours in opposition to the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. These instances highlight a pattern of utilizing extended Senate floor speeches as a form of protest and a means of drawing attention to critical issues.

Reader question:-Do you think extended speeches like these are effective tools for political protest, or are they largely symbolic gestures? Share your thoughts!

[Image of Sen. Jeff Merkley addresses the Senate on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. Senate TV]

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