Dem. Sen. Chris Murphy was ripped on social media on Thursday morning over a post where he explained how he stayed up most of the night drinking Red Bull because democracy is “on the line” if Democrats do not stop Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts.
“After taking the 2-5am shift on the Senate floor last night for our overnight protest, got 2 hours of crappy sleep on my office couch and right back at it today,” Murphy posted on X. “We don’t rest. Keep going. Democracy on the line.”
Murphy, whose post was accompanied by a photo of a Red Bull energy drink and video explaining his cause, was on the Senate floor late Wednesday night attempting to block the confirmation of Office of Management and Budget nominee Russ Vought until the “crisis” of Musk’s DOGE crackdown “passes.”
Murphy’s post on social media was widely mocked by conservatives who questioned Murphy’s motives on the Senate floor.
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Sen. Chris Murphy, left, was mocked on social media over an X post describing his late night in the Senate. (Getty)
“So brave,” Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe sarcastically posted on X.
“Area man has to work overnight one time,” New York Post reporter Jon Levine posted on X.
“Stunning and brave,” the Trump White House rapid response account posted on X.
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U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) speaks during a press conference following the Democrats’ weekly policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 21, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
“Imagine bragging about doing something that basically every college student has done at some point,” conservative journalist John Hasson posted on X.
“Men used to go to war and now they cry about working overnight and post their little sugar free red bulls like they’re battle scars,” conservative commentator Ashley St. Clair posted on X.
“These clowns are BEYOND pathetic,” video journalist Nick Sortor posted on X. “This is so embarrassing.”
“The purest form of love can be found in the relationship between Chris Murphy and a camera,” former Trump campaign senior adviser Tim Murtaugh posted on X.
SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk speaks during an America PAC town hall on Oct. 26, 2024 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. ( Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
“Overwhelmed at your level of Heroism for ‘democracy’ while your constituents in CT have $1300 electric bills,” radio host Tony Bruno posted on X. “You’re a worthless clown!”
Despite efforts from Murphy and his fellow Democrats, Vought was confirmed as the new White House budget chief late Thursday night.
In an Instagram live post, Murphy explained to his followers that he was not playing the hero.
“I’m not trying to plead hardship here, right?” Murphy said. “All I did was stay up late.”
Murphy added, “So yeah, the USAID workers, the domestic violence workers, the teachers, those are my heroes. But you guys are my heroes too. Because I get paid to do this job, I asked. I raised my hand. I said, ‘make me a United States Senator, I want to defend democracy.’ So I volunteered for this job. I get a paycheck. But the people that are showing up at these protests, the people that are going to show up at these protests, you got other stuff going on in your life. You don’t have to stand up and fight for democracy, but you are because you think the moment is important, and you are despite the fact that they are doing things to try to make you stay home, try to make you afraid of speaking up.”
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Office of Management and Budget director, Russell Vought, testifies during the Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing in the Dirksen Senate Building on Jan. 22, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
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Murphy’s Senate speech amid the Trump administration’s targeting of USAID after Musk’s DOGE efforts have resulted in the agency being effectively shut down over what the administration argues is wasteful spending.
“For decades, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been unaccountable to taxpayers as it funnels massive sums of money to the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats, with next-to-no oversight,” the White House said Monday.
