Thousands of protesters across the United States and various countries are gearing up for what promises to be the largest one-day protest against President Donald Trump and his high-profile ally, billionaire Elon Musk. On Saturday, the “Hands Off!” protests are designed to resist Trump’s aggressive overhauls of domestic and foreign policy through a wave of executive orders.
Organizers say more than 1,200 rallies across all 50 US states are set, with further events in Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Mexico, and Portugal. The largest turnout is expected on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible another of the protest’s main organizers stated that the demonstrations are a direct message to Trump, Musk, and their supporters: “We don’t want their hands on our democracy, our communities, our schools, and our neighbors.”
Over 150 activist groups have said they will join, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Human Rights Campaign, and Greenpeace. Pro-Palestinian groups are also expected to take part in the Washington protest against increased US support for Israeli military strikes in Gaza.
The protests are also in reaction to Trump’s return to the presidency on January 20 and his immediate executive orders that critics say are conforming to the far-right objectives of Project 2025. His efforts to reorganize government, deport immigrants, and reverse civil rights protections have attracted many legal challenges.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Liz Huston debunked assertions that Trump is going to resist slashing major entitlement programs. “President Trump will always defend Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid,” she said, accusing Democrats of policies that she claims would jeopardize those programs.
Though protests in recent weeks have been less large than during Trump’s first term, organizers say this weekend’s unified opposition is the beginning of a fresh wave of activism.
