Thousands took to the streets across Washington, D.C., and cities nationwide on Saturday, rallying in opposition to President Donald Trump and his powerful ally Elon Musk. The coordinated effort, part of an estimated 1,200 separate events, marked what organizers claimed was the largest single-day protest yet against the duo’s aggressive reimagining of federal power.
Under gray skies and light drizzle, waves of demonstrators filled the grassy expanse near the Washington Monument. Organizers told Reuters they anticipated over 20,000 attendees at the rally on the National Mall alone. Around 150 activist groups pledged participation, with demonstrations occurring in all 50 states as well as in Canada and Mexico.
Among those gathered near the stage was Terry Klein, a retired biomedical researcher from Princeton, New Jersey. “I came here to protest everything—immigration policies, this DOGE initiative, tariffs, education cuts. Our institutions are being gutted,” she said.
The crowd swelled as the day wore on. Ukrainian flags waved alongside Palestinian keffiyehs and signs reading “Free Palestine,” while Democratic lawmakers voiced their discontent with Trump’s policies from the stage.
Wayne Hoffman, 73, a retired financial advisor from West Cape May, New Jersey, criticized the administration’s economic approach. “These tariffs are going to devastate red-state farmers, kill jobs, and drain retirement accounts. People are losing tens of thousands,” he warned.
Walking the outskirts of the rally was Kyle, a 20-year-old intern from Ohio—and a lone Trump supporter. Donning a red “Make America Great Again” cap, he debated demonstrators. “Most people are respectful. Some cuss, sure,” he noted, declining to provide his last name.
As protests raged, Trump spent the day golfing in Jupiter, Florida, before heading back to his Mar-a-Lago estate. Just four miles away, over 400 demonstrators gathered under clear skies in West Palm Beach. Supporters in passing cars honked in solidarity with the pastel-shirted crowd.
One protest sign summed up the sentiment: "Markets tank, Trump golfs."
In Stamford, Connecticut, 84-year-old Sue-ann Friedman hoisted a handmade pink sign protesting proposed cuts to medical research funding. “I thought my protesting days were over,” she said. “Then Trump and Musk came along.”
For 74-year-old Paul Kretschmann, a retired lawyer also in Stamford, it was his first-ever protest. “I’m scared Social Security will be slashed. There won’t even be people left to run it. This all feels like a scheme to dismantle the government and keep Trump in power,” he said.
DOGE: The Heart of the Resistance
With Trump’s backing, Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has enacted sweeping cuts, eliminating over 200,000 federal jobs. The initiative has sparked chaos and forced the rehiring of some essential personnel.
On Friday, the IRS began laying off 25% of its workforce—over 20,000 employees. Outside the Social Security Administration near Baltimore, hundreds rallied against cuts to vital services for seniors and the disabled.
“I’ve paid into Social Security since I was 16,” said Linda Falcao, who turns 65 soon. “I’m furious and terrified. I need that money. It’s our money!” she shouted, as the crowd echoed, “It’s our money!”
In response, White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston claimed Trump remains committed to protecting social programs. “President Trump will always defend Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The real threat comes from Democrats who want to extend these benefits to illegal immigrants, risking the solvency of these vital systems,” Huston wrote in an email.
Still, legal battles continue to stall Trump’s attempts to fire civil servants, deport immigrants, and roll back protections for transgender Americans.
Since returning to office on January 20, Trump has unleashed a wave of executive orders many say echo the goals of Project 2025—a hard-right blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government and amplifying presidential control. Supporters see it as a bold correction to liberal overreach; critics call it authoritarian overdrive.
Even before the day’s U.S. protests began, American expatriates rallied overseas. Demonstrations erupted in Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, and London, as global critics voiced their alarm over Trump’s sweeping domestic and international policy shifts.