National Protests in the United States: Hundreds of Thousands Take to the Streets to Oppose the Trump Administration
This Saturday's rally is expected to be the largest and most attended protest since the beginning of Trump's second term. More than 500,000 people across the U.S. have responded to participate.
Thousands of people will gather in protests this Saturday across the country, strongly opposing President Trump's policies since his inauguration. The protest, named "Hands Off," expresses strong opposition to the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration and its support for the wealthy, particularly the billionaire Musk, which has driven a series of measures to reduce government scale and impact social welfare policies.
It is estimated that over 1,200 protests will take place in more than 50 states nationwide, attracting over 500,000 participants. The National Mall in Washington D.C. is expected to be the most important gathering site, with tens of thousands of people gathering here to express their strong dissatisfaction with the Trump administration. Protesters come not only from the local area of Washington but also from demonstrators in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and other places. Participants hold up placards opposing Trump's policies and display the Ukrainian flag to protest the Trump administration's attempt to establish friendly relations with Russia.
One of the organizers of the protest, "MoveOn," stated that more than 1,000 protests will simultaneously occur across the country, emphasizing that this will be one of the largest single-day protests in recent years in the U.S. Executive Director of MoveOn, Adrienne Elrod, told USA TODAY that concentrating all protests on one day will demonstrate how many Americans oppose cuts to essential services and benefits they deserve, such as healthcare insurance.
She said: "'Hands Off' means letting go of all these things, not just our services and benefits, but also our rights and freedoms, all of which are now under threat, and we see this happening every day."
In the rallies in Washington, Maryland Democratic Congressman Raskin, Florida's Frost, Minnesota's Omar, and others are scheduled to speak to the crowd to express support and call for action.
Protesters oppose the Trump administration's alliance with billionaires, driving a significant reduction in government structure, resulting in the unemployment of tens of thousands of civil servants and weakening social welfare services; secondly, they strongly oppose the Trump administration's policies on immigration rights, transgender rights, and others; additionally, demonstrators criticize the Trump administration's continued implementation of tariff policies during economic downturns, further exacerbating stock market instability and social unrest.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Musk, has shut down multiple government agencies and cut tens of thousands of public sector jobs. These measures have been criticized for prioritizing wealth and power, ignoring the interests of ordinary people.
Besides Washington, state capitols and other locations in all 50 states have also become sites for protests. According to an Associated Press report, 66-year-old Delaware County retiree Bloom in Ohio expressed his dissatisfaction with Trump at the Columbus rally. He once was a Republican but now feels repulsed by Trump.
"He is tearing this country apart," Bloom said. "This administration is unsatisfactory."
Hundreds of people also held demonstrations outside Trump's golf course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a few miles away. Trump attended the high-level club championship there on Saturday morning.
Despite the unprecedented scale of the protests, the White House stated that Trump will not change his policy stance due to protests or lawsuits. In a statement to the Associated Press, the White House said: "President Trump's position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democratic stance is to extend Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal immigrants, which will bankrupt these programs and overwhelm American seniors."
Trump announced the imposition of "reciprocal tariffs" on April 2, causing a stock market crash. According to the latest Reuters poll, Trump's approval rating fell to 43% this week, the lowest since his inauguration in mid-January.
Source: rfi
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