Cory Booker: “Throw Me in Jail”—Senator Takes Bold Stand Against Trump’s Intimidation Tactics
In a fiery appearance on MSNBC’s The Briefing with Jen Psaki, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker made a defiant pledge: he’s ready to go to jail if that’s what it takes to stand up to Donald Trump and defend democracy.
“I don’t care if this president calls me out every day, mean tweets me, or threatens me,” Booker declared. “Throw me in jail. Do what you have to do. I’m going to continue to stand up for what’s right.”
Booker’s explosive remarks came in response to a question from Psaki about Trump’s recent attacks and the growing climate of fear among whistleblowers and public servants. Psaki asked what message he would give to those afraid to speak out. Booker didn’t flinch.
“Stand up and fight,” he said emphatically. “I’m going to continue to fight.”
Booker pointed to what he described as a disturbing trend of political intimidation—especially in his hometown of Newark—highlighting the recent arrests of Mayor Ras Baraka and Congresswoman LaMonica McIver under what he called “questionable circumstances.”
“It seems like people are being picked off — people who have dared to speak up,” he warned.
The senator’s warning taps into a broader concern shared by many Democrats and moderate Republicans: that political retaliation is becoming a dangerous new norm. As Trump continues to lash out at critics and navigate his own legal battles, lawmakers like Booker are sounding the alarm.
“I’ve had conversations with Republican senators I never thought I would speak with — because they’re alarmed too,” Booker revealed. “There’s something bigger than partisanship at stake here.”
In his closing remarks, Booker issued a call to action, urging Americans to resist fear and reclaim their voice.
“I’m hoping that when one person stands up and calls this out, it ignites the courage of another person, and another, and another,” he said. “At a time when our rights and freedoms are under attack — when the very fabric of our democracy is at risk — silence is not an option. We must speak. We must act.”
Booker’s words mark a sharp escalation in rhetoric as the political climate grows more volatile. But for the senator, the choice is clear: speak out now — or risk losing the democracy altogether.