Senate Democrats Hold Back-to-Back Speeches Criticizing Trump’s First 100 Days

The president, meanwhile, presented a very different perspective in his remarks at a rally in Macomb County, Michigan.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) leaves the Democratic caucus lunch at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 13, 2025. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Senate Democrats on April 29 commemorated President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office with a series of floor speeches criticizing the president’s performance.

“Democrats are holding the floor late tonight to expose the disaster of Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office. We will be speaking for several more hours,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the floor.

Schumer’s remarks came after several Democrats had already been delivering speeches critical of the administration throughout the day. Under the rules of the Senate, any senator is generally entitled by collegial norms to speak for as long as they wish.

Schumer’s speech hit on the key points that Democrats raised across their speeches: claims that the Trump administration is corrupt, inflation and rising costs, allegations that Trump was overstepping constitutional bounds, and criticisms of current tariff policy.

“No president in modern history has promised more on day one and delivered less by day one hundred than Donald Trump,” Schumer said.

Trump, meanwhile, presented a very different perspective in his remarks at a rally in Macomb County, Michigan.

“We’re here tonight in the heartland of our nation to celebrate the most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country,” Trump told his supporters.

He was upbeat and energized throughout the event, speaking for around 90 minutes to a crowd of around a thousand. He cited his highly effective crackdown on immigration, job creation, and the potential return of American manufacturing under his tariffs.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has rolled out a raft of executive actions and sweeping policy changes, including more than 135 executive orders—surpassing even President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who signed 99 in the same time period.

Democratic voters told The Epoch Times that they want stronger opposition from their national party than they’ve seen in the first 100 days, with one describing the response to Trump as “disorganized.”

As some polls have shown declining economic approval and signs of voter concerns about the aggressiveness of Trump’s first days back in office, Democrats have struggled to figure out how to move forward after the party’s sweeping loss in 2024.

Democrats and other administration critics have largely opposed Trump through the judicial branch.

While Senate collegiality allows senators to speak as long as they wish, there are few legislative branch options for the out-of-power Democrats beyond efforts to counter signal the administration. Republicans’ control of both chambers gives Democrats little ability to bring desired legislation or amendments to the floor.

Trump indicated he’s as distrustful of polls as ever, and is unfazed by polls showing slumping support.

During his Michigan speech, Trump took aim at pollsters, saying they “interview far more Democrats than Republicans.”

President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Macomb Community College at Warren, Mich., on April 29, 2025. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and others also spoke throughout the day.

The session was ultimately gavelled out around midnight after Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) closed Democrats’ speeches with a call for Senate and House Republicans to oppose Trump’s budget reconciliation bill, tariffs, and other agenda items.