Egypt Daily News – Thousands of Americans protest against Trump and Musk across the USA. In the largest protests since the return of the Republican billionaire to the presidency, a coalition of dozens of left-leaning groups organized demonstrations under the slogan “Hands Off” in over a thousand towns and cities and in every congressional district.
Thousands of Americans protested on Saturday in Washington and other cities across the United States, rejecting the policies of President Donald Trump and his advisor Elon Musk, who is leading efforts to cut public budgets, in the largest protests since the billionaire Republican returned to office.
A large banner reading “Hands Off” was raised on a platform set up outdoors just a few buildings from the White House. Protesters also held signs reading “Not my President,” “Fascism has arrived,” “Stop the evil,” and “Keep your hands off our Social Security.”
Jane Ellen Summers, 66, said she was disturbed to see the Trump administration working to dismantle long-established American democratic institutions. The real estate worker told AFP: “It’s deeply concerning to see what’s happening to our country. All the checks and balances that were put in place are being completely violated, everything from the environment to personal rights.”
As global discontent with the Republican president grows, marches were also held earlier in international capitals including Paris, Rome, and London.
A coalition of dozens of left-leaning groups in the United States, such as “MoveOn” and “Women’s March,” organized “Hands Off” protests in over a thousand towns and cities and in every congressional district, according to the coalition.
The theme of the protest was unified: growing frustration with what the “Indivisible” group described as “the most brazen power grab in modern history,” led by Trump and his advisor Elon Musk “and their billionaire friends.”
Trump has angered many Americans by aggressively working to shrink government departments, imposing conservative values, and pressuring even friendly countries on trade terms, which caused a drop in stock markets.
The “Indivisible” group stated on its website: “Trump, Musk, and their billionaire friends are waging an all-out assault on our country, our economy, and our basic rights—with Congress enabling them every step of the way.”
Many Democrats are furious that their party, which does not have a majority in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, is powerless to resist Trump’s aggressive moves.
Awakening a sleeping giant?
Over 5,000 people gathered just a few buildings from the White House at noon local time in the National Mall park in Washington, where prominent Democrats, including Representative Jamie Raskin, were scheduled to speak.
Activist Grailan Hagler, 71, told the crowd, “They’ve awakened a sleeping giant, and they haven’t seen anything yet.” He added, “We will not bow, we will not rest, we will not leave.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s approval rating has dropped to its lowest since taking office, as he continues to make changes both in Washington and beyond, according to recent polls.
However, despite global opposition to his imposition of sweeping tariffs and growing discontent among thousands of Americans, the White House ignored the protests, and the Republican president showed no signs of retreating. Trump confirmed on Friday, “My policies will never change.”
The protests provided an opportunity for Trump’s opponents to express their collective frustration with the changes he’s implementing through executive orders.
Terry Klein, a retired biomedical scientist from Princeton, New Jersey, was among the protesters in Washington. She said she came to the rally to protest Trump’s policies on “everything, from immigration to the Government Efficiency Act and tariffs… education. I mean, our entire country is under attack, all our institutions.”
Thousands of Americans continued to grow throughout the day. Some raised Ukrainian flags, while others wore Palestinian keffiyehs and held signs that read “Free Palestine.”
Wayne Hoffman, 73, a retired financial asset manager from West Cape May, New Jersey, said he was concerned about Trump’s economic policies and his extensive use of tariffs. He told Reuters: “This will cost farmers in red states. It will cost people their jobs, especially their retirement accounts. People have lost tens of thousands of dollars.” “Where has my country gone?”
Hundreds also gathered on Saturday in front of the Social Security Administration, a major target of the Government Efficiency Act, near Baltimore to protest cuts aimed at the agency that provides benefits to the elderly and disabled. There was widespread anger and defiance after the agency recently announced it would lay off 7,000 employees and stop phone services for millions.
Many of the protesters, most of whom were retirees, carried signs with slogans such as “Where has my country gone?” “Send Musk to Mars,” and “Hands off Social Security!”
Linda Falkow, who will turn 65 in two months, told the crowd she had been paying into Social Security since she was 16 years old. She said: “I’m terrified, very angry, and confused about what’s happening to the United States. I really love America, and my heart is broken. I need my money. I want my money. I want my benefits!” In response, the crowd chanted, “This is our money!”
Meanwhile, Trump spent his day in Florida, playing golf at his club in Jupiter before returning to his Mar-a-Lago resort in the afternoon.
