President Donald Trump’s moves to overhaul the federal government have prompted protests in recent weeks, but Saturday brings a nationwide, coordinated effort that could be the biggest one yet.
Hundreds-of-thousands of people had RSVPed to take part in the demonstrations, which are being held in big cities and small towns around the country, according to organizers of the “Hands Off!” movement.
The protests are expected to be the largest demonstration since Trump retook office. On Saturday afternoon, thousands of people had started gathering.
Follow live updates on Saturday: Anti-Trump protesters to gather at hundreds of locations nationwide
What are the ‘Hands Off!’ protests?
“Hands Off!,” led by a coalition of grassroots groups, is “a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history,” according to the group’s website.
Organizers previously told USA TODAY that demonstrations have different goals and focuses depending on the organizations involved. But even small protests in red states help contribute to the overarching goal of getting people out to resist, the organizers said.
Where are the ‘Hands Off!’ protests happening?
About 1,000 protests or marches have been planned across all 50 states this weekend, organizers said. Here are a few places where demonstrations are planned:
- Chicago, IL
- Miami, FL
- Pensacola, FL
- Boston, MA
- New Orleans, LA
- Dallas, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Bozeman, MT
- Bismarck, ND
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Burlington, VT
- Machias, ME
The protest in Washington, D.C, is expected to be the biggest.
The entire list of protests can be found on the Hands Off! Mobilize website. The protests will also be livestreamed here.
When do the ‘Hands Off!’ protests start on April 5?
The protests are scheduled for Saturday, April 5. The largest, at the Washington Monument in the nation’s capital, runs from noon and until 3:30, according to the organizers’ site.
Different locations’ events start at different times.
Why are people protesting?
Some previous protests have focused on billionaire Elon Musk’s prominence in the Trump administration, sweeping federal workforce cuts, rollbacks on the rights of transgender people and immigrants, and more.
Hands Off! cited some of these issues and others as reasons to mobilize, calling Trump and Musk’s leadership “an illegal takeover” and a “national crisis.”
How is Trump reacting to protests?
The White House said protests will not deter the Trump administration’s efforts.
“Anyone who thinks protests, lawsuits, and lawfare will deter President Trump must have been sleeping under a rock for the past several years. President Trump will not be deterred from delivering on the promises he made to make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers across the country who overwhelmingly re-elected him,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously told USA TODAY in a statement.
The White House’s annual spring garden tour was rescheduled from Saturday to Sunday because of the protests, the office of the first lady said. Trump is scheduled to be at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida over the weekend and several protests are planned for the area.
Kinsey Crowley is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.