Demonstrators assembled in various cities across the United States on Wednesday to voice their disapproval of the recent actions taken by the Trump administration. Their grievances ranged from the administration’s aggressive immigration policies to the rollback of transgender rights and proposals regarding the forcible transfer of Palestinians from Gaza.
Protests ignited in locations such as Philadelphia and in state capitals including California, Minnesota, Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin, and Indiana, where participants held up signs criticizing President Donald Trump, the billionaire Elon Musk, who heads the new Department of Government Efficiency, and Project 2025, a far-right agenda for American governance.
“I’m appalled by changes to democracy over the last two weeks, although this situation has been developing for a long time,” stated Margaret Wilmeth outside the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. “I aim to make my presence felt as part of this resistance.”
These protests emerged from a grassroots movement, organized online through hashtags like #buildtheresistance and #50501 which signifies 50 protests across all 50 states on the same day. Various social media platforms spread messages urging action against what they describe as fascism and a defense of democracy.
In Michigan, at the state Capitol in Lansing, hundreds braved the cold to voice their concerns. Catie Miglietti, who traveled from the Ann Arbor area, highlighted fears over Musk’s access to Treasury Department data. She illustrated a sign showing Musk controlling Trump through puppet strings, a nod to Musk’s hand gesture that some perceived as a Nazi salute during a recent speech.
“If we don’t intervene and compel Congress to take action, it’s an assault on democracy,” Miglietti remarked.
Demonstrations in numerous cities also focused criticism on Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency. One protester in Jefferson City, Missouri, carried a sign that read, “DOGE is not legit,” questioning why Musk had access to sensitive information like Social Security details.
Concerns have been voiced by some members of Congress about how DOGE’s operations with the government payment system might introduce security vulnerabilities or delay crucial payments for Social Security and Medicare. A Treasury Department spokesperson indicated that when it comes to DOGE, a tech executive involved will only have “read-only access.”
In the early days of his administration, Trump has issued several executive orders addressing various issues including trade, immigration, and climate policy. As opposition from Democrats gains momentum, protests have proliferated across the country.
In Austin, Texas, demonstrators marched through the city. In Atlanta, crowds convened at Centennial Olympic Park before proceeding to Georgia’s state Capitol, while in Sacramento, protesters gathered outside the state’s Democratic-majority Legislature. Meanwhile, in Denver, protests aligned with Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities, during which an unspecified number of individuals were detained.
“We must demonstrate our strength,” asserted Laura Wilde, a former public school occupational therapist in Austin. “I think we are currently in a state of shock.”
In St. Paul, Minnesota, thousands took to the streets, including 28-year-old Hallie Parten, who carried a modified Democratic presidential campaign sign that read “Harris Walz Were Right.” Parten expressed worry for the future of the nation.
“I fear for what our country could become if we don’t all take action,” Parten said.
In Alabama, several hundred individuals gathered outside the Statehouse in protest of policies affecting LGBTQ+ persons. On Tuesday, Governor Kay Ivey announced intentions to sign legislation affirming that there are only two genders: male and female, mirroring Trump’s recent executive order defining gender in the same binary manner.
“The president believes he has extensive power,” Reverend Julie Conrady, a minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church, told attendees. “He cannot control your gender identity. He cannot dictate who you are.”
