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Public disputes concerning political parties, public officials, institutions, political conduct, and governance in the United States.
Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.
7 statements on this page. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 29, 2026
7 matching statements. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 29, 2026
7 published statements. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 29, 2026
6 published statements. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 25, 2026
6 statements on this page. Dates: June 23, 2026 to September 25, 2026
Role at the time: U.S. Senator from New Jersey
Statement summary
Sen. Cory Booker said Gov. Mikie Sherrill is right that the conduct described in the investigative report is totally unacceptable, and that for the sake of the state Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell should resign.
“Governor Sherrill is absolutely right the conduct described in the investigative report is totally unacceptable For the sake of our state Lt. Governor Caldwell should resign.”
New Jersey Globe report on the calls for the lieutenant governor to resign from New Jersey's two U.S. senators and other officials after Gov. Mikie Sherrill gave him until September 25 to step down.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)The reference point is the investigation report's findings against Caldwell and Gov. Sherrill's call for him to resign. Booker said the conduct described in the report is totally unacceptable and that Caldwell should resign, which expressly rejects the conduct, so we labeled it Condemned.
Role at the time: U.S. Senator, New Jersey
Statement summary
Cory Booker voted yea on H.Con.Res. 89, a vote to direct the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran.
“On the Concurrent Resolution H.Con.Res. 89: A concurrent resolution directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”
Official Senate roll call on H.Con.Res. 89, a concurrent resolution directing the President under section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran. Rejected 49-50 on September 24, 2026. Fetterman was the only Democratic nay; Republicans Collins, Murkowski, Paul and Tillis voted yea; Alsobrooks did not vote.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Voted to direct the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran, a vote to end U.S. involvement absent congressional authorization.
Role at the time: U.S. senator from New Jersey, interviewed on NBC’s Meet the Press
Statement summary
Asked on NBC’s Meet the Press whether the ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico violates the Constitution, Sen. Cory Booker said “It clearly does.” He said he was also troubled that Trump is using the Justice Department “to persecute reporters,” pointed to investigations of reporters that he said followed an incident involving a Qatar Airways plane and were withdrawn after a federal judge said he would sanction the department, and said “this precedent has no regard for the First Amendment” and the ban “just doubles down on that.”
“It clearly does. What bothers me is not only this violation of the Constitution, but remember, in unprecedented ways he’s using his Justice Department to persecute reporters. He’s basically said, “If you break stories on me I don’t like, my Justice Department is going to investigate you.” In fact, look at what he did after the Qatar Airway, that sort of, I call it, cowardice retreat from the airplane, where he escaped in a dining car. Immediately, they started launching investigations against those reporters, so much so, that a federal judge said he was going to sanction the Justice Department, and they quickly withdrew. So this precedent has no regard for the First Amendment. He’s going after reporters, and this ban just doubles down on that.”
NBC News' transcript of Meet the Press with Kristen Welker for September 20, 2026, published at 11:44 AM EDT and updated at 12:22 PM EDT. Welker's question about the ban opens her interview with Booker, which follows her interview with Sen. John Barrasso.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)On Trump’s decision to exclude CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access because of their coverage, Booker answers “It clearly does” to whether the ban violates the Constitution and says the ban “just doubles down” on Trump going after reporters. That is an express denunciation of the exclusion itself. The closest competing label is “Challenged the characterization”, which loses because he criticizes the action rather than only disputing how it is described.
Role at the time: U.S. Senator (D-NJ), in an interview on CNN's The Source with Kaitlan Collins
Statement summary
Asked by host Kaitlan Collins on CNN's The Source on September 17, 2026 whether President Trump is "laying the groundwork to knock down the Kennedy Center," Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said Trump is trying to "hold it hostage until he gets his name on it" and called that "absolutely ridiculous." Booker described the building as an arts institution named after a slain president and paid for by taxpayers.
“Him taking an institution of the arts, named after a slain president, paid for by taxpayers, he's trying to hold it hostage until he gets his name on it. This is absolutely ridiculous.”
CNN's published transcript of the show (aired 9-10 PM ET on Sept. 17), labelled a rush transcript that may not be in final form. The quotation uses its punctuation; the wording was checked against the audio (Collins's own clip and CNN's podcast audio) and matches, with only punctuation differing (transcript: 'slain president, paid for by taxpayers, he's trying'; audio and Collins's X post: 'paid for by taxpayers. He's trying').
Asked about Trump's remarks and the 'Kennedy Center Demolished' photograph, Booker says Trump is "trying to hold it hostage until he gets his name on it" and calls that "absolutely ridiculous," an express rejection of tying the institution's fate to Trump's name. The closest competing label is “Challenged the characterization”, because "hold it hostage" is Booker's own description of the position. That loses because he pairs the description with a direct evaluation instead of only disputing how the position should be labeled.
Role at the time: U.S. senator from New Jersey, in a post on X
Response to this claim
Vice President JD Vance said he would not call the U.S. fight with Iran a war, saying there is no active shooting right now and that major combat operations lasted about six weeks.
“Vice President Vance says he wouldn’t call his administration's reckless war in Iran what it is: a war. Tell that to the families of the 18 American service members who have died. Tell that to the hundreds more who have been wounded. Tell that to every family paying more for gas and groceries because of this reckless conflict.”
Booker's post on his X account, @CoryBooker, with a video. The post ends with a credit to ABC World News Tonight. Booker's Instagram account carries the same text in a post dated September 5.
The reference point is Vance's statement that he would not call the fighting a war. Booker rejects the wording, describing the fighting as "reckless war" and "this reckless conflict", and points to families of service members who died. He denounces the statement rather than only offering a different label, so condemns fits better than challenges the characterization.
Role at the time: U.S. Senator, New Jersey
Statement summary
Cory Booker voted Yea on H.Con.Res. 86, the Senate resolution directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.
“On the Concurrent Resolution H.Con.Res. 86: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”
Official Senate roll call on H.Con.Res. 86, directing the President under section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran. Agreed to 50-48 on June 23, 2026 — the first Iran war powers resolution to pass both chambers. Republicans Cassidy, Collins, Murkowski and Paul voted yea; Fetterman was the only Democratic nay.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)A yea vote supported directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran, opposing continued U.S. involvement in the war without congressional authorization.
1 published statement. Dates: September 29, 2026
1 statement on this page. Dates: September 29, 2026
Role at the time: U.S. senator from New Jersey and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, listed by the Justice Department among members whose texts with White House personnel were obtained
Statement summary
During his questioning of Smith, Sen. Cory Booker said Republicans were trying to say the investigation was partisan, and said his own records and text messages, and those of Karen Bass, were also swept up.
“And they're trying to say this is partisanship. My records were swept up. My text messages were part of it. Karen Bass's text messages were a part of it.”
Senate Judiciary Committee's archived video of the September 29, 2026 hearing. Sen. Cory Booker responded to Republican claims that the investigation was partisan and said his own records and text messages were among those obtained.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)The case asks whether the collection of members' records was proper. Booker did not address the Speech or Debate or nondisclosure-order arguments. He disputed the idea that the collection was partisan by saying his own records and text messages, and Karen Bass's, were also included. That challenges a characterization without addressing the collection's legality, so we labeled it Challenged the characterization.
