More than half a million Americans flooded streets across all 50 states on Saturday, launching the largest single-day protest since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. Branded the “Hands Off” movement, the protests targeted what organizers are calling an “authoritarian power grab” orchestrated by Trump and his unelected tech ally, Elon Musk.
From the National Mall in Washington D.C. to the boulevards of Los Angeles and courthouse steps in small towns, the protests served as a collective outcry against sweeping government overhauls, massive job cuts, and the expanding power of the executive branch.
A Nation in Revolt
Over 1,100 protests, rallies, and community events were organized under gloomy skies, with demonstrators braving the rain to defend social safety nets, democracy, and public institutions. At the heart of the outrage was the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative spearheaded by Musk and backed by Trump, which has already axed over 200,000 federal jobs in just ten weeks.
“Where has my country gone?” read one protester’s sign in Baltimore, where hundreds rallied outside the Social Security Administration a DOGE target that recently announced layoffs of 7,000 staff and the end of phone services for millions of elderly and disabled Americans.
“I’ve paid into Social Security since I was 16. Now I’m 65 and terrified,” said Linda Falcao, voice trembling as the crowd around her chanted, “It’s our money!”
Washington at the Center
In Washington D.C., over 20,000 people assembled near the Washington Monument, transforming the National Mall into a sea of placards, umbrellas, and conviction. Protesters arrived from states as far-flung as New Hampshire, Texas, and Ohio. Many bore signs such as “Deport Musk,” “No Kings in the USA,” and “Hands Off Our Democracy.”
Retired Army veteran David Madden, 75, said he flew from Dayton to make his voice heard. “Our institutions are being stolen from us. The courts, the workforce, everything that gave structure to this country is being hollowed out.”
Opposition From All Corners
The scale of the protests reflected growing discomfort with Trump’s executive orders, many of which align with Project 2025, a right-wing roadmap to concentrate presidential authority, dismantle federal oversight, and radically alter social policies. Critics say the administration’s aggressive agenda, coupled with Musk’s private-sector approach to governance, has destabilized agencies and stripped essential services.
International solidarity added another layer to the movement, with American expats rallying in cities like Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, and London. “We’re showing that resistance to authoritarianism is borderless,” said Timothy Kautz of Democrats Abroad.
White House Response
White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston downplayed the criticism, insisting the administration remains committed to safeguarding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. In a sharply worded statement, she accused Democrats of attempting to bankrupt the system by offering benefits to undocumented immigrants, an assertion protesters called a distraction from the administration’s own cuts.
Organizers from groups like MoveOn, Indivisible, and dozens of grassroots coalitions say Saturday’s mass action is just the beginning. “This is a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history,” said Ezra Levin of Indivisible. “If we don’t fight now, there won’t be anything left to save.” The chants of “Hands Off!” echoed through city centers and state capitals.
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