US streets fill with protesters opposing Trump’s power grab

In a show of widespread opposition to US President Donald Trump’s administration and the government overhaul led by his adviser, billionaire Elon Musk, protesters took to the streets in cities across the US.

The protests, organised under the banner of “Hands Off” rallied against the administration’s attempts to consolidate power and restructure federal agencies, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

Organisers anticipated more than 1,200 rallies across the nation, marking what was expected to be the largest single-day demonstration against the administration’s recent policies. Estimates suggest that over 250,000 people participated in the protests across all 50 states, including major cities such as Washington, DC, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Boston, Miami, and Charlotte.

In Washington, DC, protesters gathered on the National Mall, voicing their opposition to Trump’s sweeping executive actions and the controversial restructuring spearheaded by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The protests were in direct response to the administration’s decision to eliminate over 200,000 federal positions and impose significant cuts to benefits, especially within the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration. The crowd expressed frustration with what they described as “overreach” by the administration and the “undemocratic” centralization of power in the executive branch. 

In Chicago, thousands took to the downtown area to protest, while in New York, demonstrators assembled in Bryant Park, holding signs that read “Unplug Elon” and “I can only write this because there used to be a Department of Education” in reference to recent cuts in federal education programmes. Protests also took place in cities such as Atlanta, Boston, and Miami, with attendees calling for reforms on critical issues such as immigration, healthcare, and workers' rights. Protesters in Charlotte highlighted the growing dissatisfaction with the administration’s economic policies and their effects on vulnerable communities. The protests were not limited to the US. 

American expatriates and local supporters took to the streets in cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, and London, expressing solidarity with the movement. In Paris, approximately 200 demonstrators gathered at Place de la Republique, displaying banners with messages such as “Resist Tyrant,” “Rule of Law,” and “Feminists for Freedom not Fascism.” Many of the protesters were Americans living abroad, voicing their discontent with Trump’s leadership. 

Adding to the complexity of the protests, pro-Palestinian groups joined the rallies in Washington, condemning the US administration’s support for Israel’s renewed military actions in Gaza. These protesters also criticised the suppression of campus protests against Israel and expressed broader concerns about human rights violations in the region.

By Naila Huseynova