Hands Off! Mass Protests Erupt Nationwide And Globally Against Trump And Musk 'Power Grab'

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In an unprecedented wave of resistance, scores of Americans joined global demonstrators on Saturday in coordinated protests against President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. Organized by a pro-democracy coalition, the movement—branded “Hands Off!”—rallied against what organizers describe as a “hostile takeover” of American rights and freedoms.

More than 1,400 protests were staged across all 50 U.S. states and in cities around the world, including London and Paris. Demonstrations were held at state capitols, federal buildings, Social Security offices, parks, and city halls—“anywhere we can make sure they hear us,” said organizers. The “Hands Off!” movement is calling for an end to what it labels a billionaire-fueled power grab.

“Whether you’re outraged by attacks on democracy, mass job cuts, privacy invasions, or dismantled public services—this moment is for you,” read flyers promoting the event. “We are building a massive, visible, national rejection of this crisis.”

Nearly 600,000 people had signed up to attend, according to Indivisible, one of the leading groups behind the protests. Though CNN could not independently verify attendance, organizers claim “millions” showed up nationwide.

The Movement’s Demands

Organizers outlined three core demands:

1. An end to the billionaire takeover and systemic corruption under the Trump administration.

2. The protection of critical programs like Medicaid and Social Security from budget-slashing.

3. A halt to attacks on immigrants, trans individuals, and other marginalized communities.

CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.

Lawmakers Join the Rally Cry

In Washington, D.C., lawmakers took to the stage to denounce the administration’s agenda. Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland called Trump’s leadership “a blend of Mussolini’s politics and Herbert Hoover’s economics.”

“Our Constitution begins with ‘We the People,’ not ‘We the Dictators,’” Raskin told a sea of protesters at the Washington Monument. “No moral person wants a dictator who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

Thousands chanted “Hey ho, Trump’s gotta go!” while holding signs like “Protect Our Constitution” and “Hands Off Our Rights.”

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar urged the crowd to continue fighting for justice and compassion: “If you want a country that still believes in due process, we have to fight for it. If you believe in caring for our neighbors, protecting the poor, and giving our children hope—we have to fight for it.”

Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost encouraged attendees to take sustained action: “Throughout history, authoritarians test the limits. They break the law and wait to see if the people stay quiet or speak up.”

Protest Scenes Across the Nation

In Los Angeles, demonstrators marched in a 1-mile loop toward City Hall, chanting “Power to the People” and waving signs like “Hands Off Education” and “Resist, Resist.”

Since taking office, Trump has aggressively moved to slash federal spending—leading to mass layoffs and a radical downsizing of government services. Musk, appointed to lead the controversial Department of Government Efficiency, has drawn widespread condemnation for his extreme cuts and misleading rhetoric about federal spending.

In one alarming example, Musk bragged about dismantling USAID, a humanitarian agency credited with saving millions of lives globally, saying he put it “in the wood chipper.”

Foreign aid programs, election security offices, and key federal agencies have all been gutted, prompting warnings from both current and former officials about a retreat from America’s democratic commitments.

The Social Security Administration, which serves nearly 73 million Americans, has been thrown into disarray following massive reorganizations and thousands of layoffs.

Immigration Crackdowns and Civil Liberties Concerns

The Trump administration has doubled down on immigration enforcement, pressuring ICE to ramp up arrests and pushing controversial mass deportation plans. In one blunder, a Salvadoran man was mistakenly deported despite having legal protections.

“They say immigrants steal jobs, but it’s billionaires shipping them overseas,” said Rep. Frost. “They accuse trans people of being dangerous to kids, but they’re the ones dismantling public education and denying climate science. They’re poisoning our planet and ignoring gun violence.”

Trump’s administration has proposed repealing key climate and pollution policies and reevaluating gun regulations, raising alarm among environmental and public safety advocates.

Frost warned that the U.S. is facing an “insidious rise of authoritarianism,” powered by “corrupt billionaires and mega-corporations” aiming to control every aspect of public life—including speech.

This fear was amplified by the recent arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian refugee whose green card was revoked due to his involvement in peaceful demonstrations at Columbia University, raising chilling concerns about freedom of expression.

“We Will Not Be Silenced”: Union Leaders Speak Out

At the D.C. protest, leaders of major labor unions slammed Trump’s efforts to dismantle public services and undermine federal workers.

“The Trump administration is destroying public services under the guise of efficiency,” said Randy Erwin, President of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE). “It’s a cruel joke.”

Erwin and Everett Kelley, President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), announced a lawsuit filed this week to stop the administration from stripping collective bargaining rights from federal employees.

“They thought we were easy targets,” said Kelley, an Army veteran. “But union members and veterans will not be silenced. We will stand up and say: Hands off our union. Hands off our contracts.”

Tensions in Lafayette

While most protests were peaceful, a tense moment occurred in Lafayette, Indiana, where a man approached demonstrators with a long gun. Police say the man was initially trying to drive through the area but was blocked by protesters. After a heated exchange, he returned to his truck and retrieved a firearm—claiming self-defense.

Police later detained and released the man after determining he had not aimed the weapon at anyone.

“This isn’t just about politics—it’s about power,” organizers said in a final statement. “The Trumps and Musks of the world are coming for veterans, kids, seniors, farmers, immigrants, trans people, and anyone who dares to dissent. We’re standing up to say: Enough.”