It has not even reached 100 days of the Trump administration in the US, and protests have erupted against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk across all 50 states and globally. A pro-democracy movement is organizing these protests in response to what they call a “hostile takeover” referring to the Trump, Musk administration as an attack on American rights and freedoms.
Over 1,400 “Hands Off!” mass-action protests were held at state capitols, federal buildings, congressional offices, Social Security’s headquarters, parks, and city halls throughout the country – anywhere “we can make sure they hear us,” organizers said. Nearly 600,000 people had signed up to attend the events, some of which took place in major cities like London and Paris, according to Indivisible, one of the organizations leading the movement. The coalition includes civil rights organizations, veterans, women’s rights groups, labour unions, and civil rights advocates.
Media has not been able to verify how many people attended the protests against Trump and Musk, but “Hands Off!” organizers say that “millions” turned up from coast to coast. Organizers say they have three demands: “an end to the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration; an end to slashing federal funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs working people rely on; and an end to the attacks on immigrants, and other communities.”
“Whether the attacks on our democracy mobilize you, the slashing of jobs, the invasion of privacy, or the assault on our services – this moment is for you,” the event flyers state. “We are setting out to build a massive, visible, national rejection of this crisis.”
Tariffs and Turmoil
Trump’s latest wave of global tariffs has rattled financial markets and alarmed economists, who warn of inflation and a potential recession. Placards reading “I’m terrified. Are you?” appeared in several cities. “What’s happening in America is everyone’s problem,” said Liz Chamberlin, a US-British dual citizen, at a London rally. “It’s economic lunacy… He is going to push us into a global recession.”
At home, many see the moves as a punishment directed at institutions and communities not aligned with Trump’s ideology. “This outrageous administration is causing us to lose our allies across the world and causing devastation to people here at home,” said Diane Kolifrath, 64, who travelled with 100 others from New Hampshire to protest in Washington. “They’re gutting our government.”
Reasons for the Protest
Protesters voiced anger over a range of issues: mass layoffs in the federal workforce, abortion restrictions, trade tariffs, and the gutting of public services. From Anchorage to Atlanta, demonstrators held signs warning of rising authoritarianism and falling living standards. In Los Angeles, protesters marched along a 1-mile loop toward City Hall, chanting “Power to the People” and wielding signs with messages like “Hands Off Education” and “Resist, Resist.”
Since Trump took office, his administration has been vocal about its efforts to cut federal spending, regardless of who it may harm. Thousands of federal workers have been laid off or issued immediate termination notifications as part of Trump and Musk’s plan to downsize the federal government. The Social Security Administration, responsible for monthly benefits to around 73 million Americans, is now in turmoil after a massive reorganization, including cutting thousands of employees. At least 121,361 workers have been fired from federal agencies so far, as of CNN’s latest tally on March 28.
Musk, the world’s richest man, has pushed policies to reduce spending as the head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, all while repeatedly misleading the public about federal spending. He has also boasted that he put USAID — an agency that is said to feed some of the world’s poorest and most desperate people — “in the wood chipper.” However, the reports say the agency’s funds have been used to topple governments in other nations.
Many protesters singled out Elon Musk, Trump’s powerful adviser and head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), for helping implement massive government downsizing. The administration claims these cuts will save taxpayers billions. But on the ground, the consequences are stark. The Internal Revenue Service alone began laying off more than 20,000 workers last week— about a quarter of its workforce. Outside the Social Security Administration’s headquarters near Baltimore, Linda Falcao, who turns 65 in two months, stood before a crowd and said: “I’m terrified, I’m angry, I’m pissed, I’m bewildered this could happen to the United States… I want my money. I want my benefits!” The crowd roared back: “It’s our money!”
Trump and his team have also taken extraordinary measures to crack down on immigration, aggressively pressuring ICE to pick up the pace of migrant arrests and touting mass deportation plans despite recent missteps, including mistakenly deporting a Salvadoran man.
The Trump administration has frequently questioned climate science and said it will roll back major climate policies, including rules that target pollution from vehicles and power plants, in a major blow to America’s progress on clean air, clean water, and climate action. Trump has also ordered the federal government to re-evaluate its gun policies and all ongoing litigation that could restrict Americans’ gun rights.
All these factors have contributed to the rising anger against the Trump administration which is now being directed across the country through these planned protests. Only time will tell whether these radical decisions made by Trump and his team end up benefitting the USA or as these protesters fear they hurl America into a deep recession.
