'Hands Off!': Why protesters say Trump and Musk have gone too far

Protesters took to streets against US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk in what they see as the billionaire-led erosion of civil liberties, social safety nets, and democratic governance

In an extraordinary show of public dissent, millions of demonstrators flooded streets across all 50 US states and several major international cities on Saturday in coordinated 'Hands Off!' protests against US President Donald Trump and his billionaire aid Elon Musk. Organised by a nationwide pro-democracy coalition, the day of action was described by organisers as a unified stand against a “hostile takeover” of American democratic institutions and basic rights.

 

The sweeping protest movement, which took place in over 1,400 locations including federal buildings, state capitols, parks, and social security offices, aimed to rally the public against what activists see as the billionaire-led erosion of civil liberties, social safety nets, and democratic governance. 

 

HAPPENING NOW: A MASSIVE protest is taking place in downtown Chicago for the "Hands Off!" movement against Elon Musk and Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/NVEiTFi8Iy

— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) April 5, 2025

 

In response to the mass protests, the White House issued a statement defending the administration’s policies. “President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries,” the statement read. “Democrats, meanwhile, want to give these benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programmes and crush American seniors.”

 

Global participation

 

More than 600,000 people officially registered to attend the demonstrations, though turnout was believed to be even higher, with significant events reported in cities from Washington, DC to Los Angeles, and internationally in London and Paris. The protests were supported by more than 150 groups, including veterans’ organisations, labour unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, and civil rights organisations.

 

In Washington, DC, thousands gathered on the National Mall under the shadow of the Washington Monument, waving placards that read “Protect Our Constitution” and “Hands Off Our Rights.” Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland condemned the administration’s ideology, saying, “No moral person wants an economy-crashing dictator who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” 

Trump and Musk want you to feel hopeless while they dismantle everything.  But we’re here to remind them that we’re organized and we fight back. #HandsOff pic.twitter.com/aWH6RHuRls

— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) April 6, 2025

 

“Our founders wrote a Constitution that does not begin with ‘We the dictators,’ the preamble says ‘We the people,’” Raskin declared, as reported by CNN.

 

What are the protesters demanding?

 

The protests revolved around three central demands:

 

1. An end to what activists describe as a “billionaire power grab” and corruption linked to Trump’s administration.

 

2. The restoration of federal funding to critical services like Medicaid and Social Security.

 

3. A stop to targeted attacks on immigrants, transgender individuals, and other vulnerable communities.

 

The movement claims that the Trump administration, in alliance with Musk—now head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—has systematically dismantled programmes vital to working Americans, all while enriching elite interests. 

“There are so many issues,” said Kelley Laird, a demonstrator in DC, in an interview with NPR. “They’re coming after education, coming after health care, coming after the arts, coming after the press.” Protesters also raised concerns over arrests of peaceful demonstrators and the targeting of marginalised communities. Patty Kim, a retired federal worker, told NPR that the accumulation of injustices compelled her to act. “I had to do something.”

 

Veterans like Colleen Boland and Sonia Lundy framed their participation as a continuation of their military oath. “We took an oath long ago to protect against all enemies foreign and domestic,” Boland said. Protesters say this is not just about policy — it’s about defending democracy from a dangerous and growing power grab. 

'Authoritarian drift'

 

At the core of the grievances is a fear of growing authoritarianism. Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar voiced concern about attacks on due process and collective care.

 

“If you want a country that still believes in due process, we have to fight for it,” CNN quoted Omar as saying. “If you believe in a country where we take care of our neighbours, look after the poor and make sure our children have a future they can believe in, we have to fight for it.” 

HAPPENING NOW: Protesters march through downtown Los Angeles for the “Hands Off!” rally against Elon Musk and Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/XVJZt8dS3l

— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) April 6, 2025

 

In Florida, Representative Maxwell Frost echoed this sentiment, warning: “Authoritarians never stop at the power they have. They test the bounds, break the law, and then wait to see how loud the people are.”

 

Social safety net in crisis

 

Since returning to office, Trump has pushed aggressive government downsizing. Over 121,000 federal workers have reportedly been fired as part of a massive reshuffle. Musk has implemented sweeping changes to enhance "efficiency," including terminating USAID programmes and gutting the Social Security Administration, which supports over 73 million Americans.

 

Musk boasted that he put USAID “in the wood chipper,” a remark condemned as emblematic of the administration’s disregard for humanitarian aid and democratic principles abroad. 

Mass protests happening across the United States against the Trump regime. Here you have New York, Florida, DC, Ohio.  All 50 states expected to have protests. #3E #Handsoff #FiftyFiftyOne pic.twitter.com/CG95OIbbku

— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) April 5, 2025

 

“They tell us immigrants are stealing our jobs, but they’re the ones shipping jobs overseas,” said Frost. “They tell us trans people are a threat to our children, but they’re the ones dismantling public education.” 

Labour unions join protest

 

Labour union leaders added their voices to the growing chorus of dissent, denouncing what they termed an increasing assault on workers’ rights.

 

“The Trump administration is absolutely destroying public services,” Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, told CNN. “They claim to be making government more efficient. That is a cruel joke.”