Nationwide ‘Hands Off!’ Protests Target Trump, Musk/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” protests are scheduled across the U.S. on Saturday to oppose policies by President Donald Trump and adviser Elon Musk. Demonstrators are rallying against mass federal layoffs, agency closures, and cuts to human rights and social programs. Organizers hope it becomes the largest protest since Trump’s return to office.
Nationwide ‘Hands Off!’ Protests Target Trump, Musk – Quick Looks
- Over 1,200 protests planned nationwide, organized by 150+ advocacy groups
- Demonstrations oppose Trump-Musk policies on government cuts, deportations, and LGBTQ+ rights
- Protests set for the National Mall, state capitols, and cities in all 50 states
- Civil rights, labor, LGBTQ+, and veterans groups involved in the movement
- Critics target Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, citing mass layoffs and agency closures
- White House has not responded to protest plans or public concerns
- Organizers compare scale to 2017 Women’s March, 2020 BLM protests
- Protesters demand reversal of social program cuts and federal downsizing
Nationwide ‘Hands Off!’ Protests Target Trump, Musk
Deep Look
A coordinated wave of protests titled “Hands Off!” is set to sweep the nation on Saturday, as critics of President Donald Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk rally against sweeping federal government changes and cuts to civil and social programs.
More than 1,200 rallies are planned in all 50 states, with events scheduled at state capitols, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and hundreds of city centers. The protests are being organized by a broad coalition of over 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, veterans, and pro-democracy activists.
Organizers say the movement is a response to the Trump administration’s aggressive policies on government downsizing, mass federal layoffs, Social Security field office closures, reduced LGBTQ+ protections, expanded immigration enforcement, and deep health care cuts.
“Elon Musk and Donald Trump are systematically dismantling the government from within,” said one organizer from the nonprofit group Democracy Forward. “We’re standing up to say: Hands off our jobs, our rights, our communities.”
Musk’s Role Draws Fire
Musk, the head of Tesla, SpaceX, and the owner of X (formerly Twitter), has become a lightning rod for criticism since assuming leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency, a new federal entity tasked with reducing government spending.
Under Musk’s direction, the department has fired thousands of federal workers, consolidated or closed agencies, and cut funding to health and social programs. He has defended the cuts as necessary to “eliminate waste” and save billions in taxpayer dollars.
But activists and watchdog groups argue the cuts are politically motivated, disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities, and stripping key public services.
Protest Goals and Historic Context
While protests against Trump and Musk have been sporadic since the start of the new administration, Saturday’s “Hands Off!” demonstrations aim to become the largest unified opposition movement since Trump’s second inauguration in January.
Organizers are hoping to replicate the energy and turnout of historic demonstrations like the 2017 Women’s March, which drew hundreds of thousands to D.C., and the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted nationwide following the death of George Floyd in 2020.
“We haven’t had a protest moment on that scale in years,” said Lina Alvarado, an organizer with the American Federation of Teachers, one of the event sponsors. “This is a chance to show unified resistance to policies that threaten democracy and basic human rights.”
Protesters’ Demands
Organizers have laid out a series of demands for the administration, including:
- Restoring federal jobs and stopping mass layoffs
- Reopening shuttered Social Security and service offices
- Reinstating protections for LGBTQ+ communities
- Halting deportation raids and immigration crackdowns
- Preserving and expanding access to health care and education
- Limiting the role of private interests in public governance
Despite the scale of opposition, the White House has not commented on the protest plans. Trump continues to frame his policies as necessary reforms to ensure U.S. prosperity, saying earlier this week that “government bloat is holding America back.”
Musk has also remained publicly unapologetic, tweeting that “every dollar saved from bureaucracy is a dollar freed for innovation.”
What’s Next
Saturday’s events could serve as a turning point for a fragmented opposition movement that has so far struggled to rally behind a unified message. With high stakes heading into the 2026 midterms, activists see this moment as an opportunity to reassert a national counterforce to Trumpism.
Organizers have confirmed additional events throughout April and May and are planning a mass march on Washington in June, which they say will focus on voting rights, reproductive freedom, and social justice.
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