Tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded streets across the United States and major cities around the world on Saturday in the largest show of opposition yet to President Donald Trump’s second administration. The protests were sparked by sweeping new tariffs, deep federal layoffs, and growing concerns over the influence of tech billionaire Elon Musk in government.
Organized by the newly formed “Hands Off!” movement, rallies took place in over 1,000 U.S. cities and towns, with major gatherings in Washington, Boston, Los Angeles, and Chicago. International solidarity protests were held in London, Paris, Lisbon, and Berlin, where demonstrators rallied in front of a Tesla showroom.
At the heart of the unrest is a sense of economic betrayal. Just days before the protests, President Trump invoked emergency powers to impose steep tariffs on nearly every trading partner, triggering a global market sell-off that wiped out an estimated $2.5 trillion in value. Critics warn that the tariffs could send the economy into recession.
“This is not economic policy — it’s economic sabotage,” said Jamie Raskin, a Democratic representative from Maryland, speaking to crowds on the National Mall. “The tariffs are not only imbecilic, they’re illegal, they’re unconstitutional, and we’re going to turn this around.”
Demonstrators also voiced anger over mass layoffs across federal agencies, ongoing deportations of legal immigrants, attacks on LGBTQ+ communities, and what they see as the rise of “billionaire authoritarianism.” Many were particularly incensed by the appointment of Elon Musk to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency — a new agency accused of gutting regulatory institutions under the guise of reform.
“Send Musk to Mars!” read one protest sign in Washington, echoing the sarcastic chant that has gone viral online. In Berlin, activists held a banner reading “Stop Fascism” as they demonstrated outside a Tesla store. Several Tesla dealerships in the U.S. were vandalized in the lead-up to the rallies.
Protester Maya, who declined to share her full name, said she attended because of a growing fear that democracy was being hijacked by the ultra-rich. “This is about power. It’s about billionaires thinking they can buy the government and rewrite the rules,” she said.
The “Hands Off!” movement has attempted to build a broad coalition, uniting environmentalists, labor unions, civil rights groups, and concerned centrists under a message of economic justice and institutional protection. Organizers say the campaign is only just beginning.
“This mass mobilization is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy,” read a digital flyer for the Washington rally.
Despite the size of Saturday’s demonstrations, Democrats in Congress remain divided on how to effectively counter the administration’s aggressive agenda. Internal party squabbles and strategic drift have left the opposition struggling to present a unified front — a contrast to the explosive Women’s March and anti-Muslim-ban protests that defined the early days of Trump’s first term.
But activists hope Saturday’s rallies will mark a turning point.
“We’ve been quiet for too long,” said Peter, a protester from Annapolis. “Now the streets are speaking.”
