Washington, D.C.: Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Washington, D.C., and cities across the United States on Saturday, joining what organizers described as the largest single-day protest against President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk since they began implementing sweeping changes to the federal government.
Despite overcast skies and intermittent rain, large crowds filled the National Mall near the Washington Monument. Organizers informed Reuters that over 20,000 people were expected to attend the Washington rally, which was supported by around 150 activist groups.
Protests were scheduled in all 50 states, as well as in Canada and Mexico, according to the event’s website. The demonstrations voiced opposition to a wide range of Trump administration policies and the accelerating efforts by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to streamline federal agencies.
Anti-Trump protesters gathered across the US to 'take our country back' https://t.co/s2EhF3cEIo pic.twitter.com/jt5vkkN0ky
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 6, 2025
Among the participants was Terry Klein, a retired biomedical scientist from Princeton, New Jersey, who traveled to the capital to voice her dissent.
She said she drove down to attend the rally to protest Trump’s policies on “everything from immigration to the DOGE stuff to the tariffs this week, to education. I mean, our whole country is under attack, all of our institutions, all the things that make America what it is.”
As the day progressed, the crowd continued to swell. Protesters waved Ukrainian flags, wore Palestinian keffiyehs, and held signs reading “Free Palestine.” Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives addressed the crowd, sharply criticizing Trump’s policies.
Wayne Hoffman, a 73-year-old retired money manager from West Cape May, New Jersey, voiced concern about Trump’s economic decisions.
“It’s going to cost the farmers in the red states. It’s going to cost people their jobs – certainly their 401Ks. People have lost tens of thousands of dollars,” Hoffman said.
Not everyone at the rally was anti-Trump. Kyle, a 20-year-old intern from Ohio, walked along the edges of the demonstration sporting a red “Make America Great Again” cap and sparking conversations with protesters.
“Most people aren’t too hostile. A few people cuss,” said Kyle, who declined to provide his last name.
While the protests unfolded nationwide, Trump spent the day in Florida, playing a round of golf at his Jupiter club before returning to his Mar-a-Lago estate in the afternoon.
Roughly four miles away, more than 400 demonstrators gathered in West Palm Beach under sunny skies, drawing support from honking drivers as they held placards along the roadside. One protester’s sign read: “Markets tank, Trump golfs.”
Elsewhere, in Stamford, Connecticut, 84-year-old Sue-ann Friedman carried a handmade pink sign criticizing funding cuts for medical research.
“I thought my marching days were over, and then we get somebody like Musk and Trump,” said Friedman.
Paul Kretschmann, a 74-year-old retired attorney, said this was his first-ever protest.
“My concern is that Social Security is going to be gutted, that we’re going to lose our benefits, and that there’s going to be nobody around to administer it in the first place,” he said. “I’m afraid that this is all part of a larger plan to dismantle the government and for Trump to maintain power.”
DOGE Faces Rising Backlash
One of the central flashpoints of the demonstrations was the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, spearheaded by Musk with Trump’s approval. The agency has overseen significant cuts, slashing more than 200,000 federal jobs from a workforce of 2.3 million—moves that critics say are haphazard and damaging.
On Friday, the Internal Revenue Service announced plans to lay off over 20,000 employees, roughly 25% of its workforce. The Social Security Administration (SSA), a primary target of DOGE, also faced growing concern.
Several hundred protesters gathered outside SSA headquarters near Baltimore to denounce proposed funding cuts affecting programs for the elderly and disabled.
Linda Falcao, nearing retirement at age 65, addressed the crowd passionately.
“I’m terrified, I’m angry, I’m pissed, I’m bewildered this could happen to the United States,” she said. “I do love America and I’m heartbroken. I need my money. I want my money. I want my benefits!”
The crowd echoed her sentiment, chanting: “It’s our money!”
In response, White House assistant press secretary Liz Huston dismissed claims that Trump intended to cut Social Security or Medicaid.
“President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats’ stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors,” Huston wrote in an email.
Global Demonstrations and Project 2025 Concerns
While domestic protests drew significant crowds, hundreds of anti-Trump Americans living abroad gathered in Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, and London to voice opposition to the president’s sweeping domestic and foreign policy changes.
Trump returned to the presidency on January 20 and has since issued a wave of executive orders, drawing sharp criticism for aligning with Project 2025—a conservative initiative aimed at restructuring the U.S. government and centralizing presidential authority.
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Legal challenges have so far slowed several of his controversial moves, including efforts to dismiss civil servants, restrict immigration, and roll back protections for transgender individuals. Yet Trump’s supporters argue that his bold steps are necessary to break through institutional inertia and left-wing dominance.
As protests continue to unfold, the country remains deeply divided over the direction of Trump’s second term and the influence of Elon Musk’s governance philosophy.
