On Saturday, April 5, 2025, millions of Americans took to the streets in what has become the largest nationwide protest against Donald Trump’s presidency since his return to office. The protest — branded “Hands Off!” — spread across all 50 states, drawing attention to the sweeping cuts, authoritarian governance, and economic turmoil under the Trump administration and his appointed Director of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk.

Organized by a coalition of over 150 groups — including civil rights activists, labor unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, immigrant rights networks, and climate justice organizations — the protest was a direct response to the accelerating dismantling of federal agencies and social safety nets.

What Sparked It

The immediate catalyst was the rollout of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has eliminated entire government departments, slashed regulations, and overseen what critics describe as the forced privatization of public goods. In parallel, Trump imposed blanket 10% tariffs on nearly all imported goods, triggering a financial market collapse that wiped out over $6.6 trillion in value.

Meanwhile, leaked internal memos suggest Social Security, Medicare, and public housing programs may be targeted next for “reform” — further fueling fears that the administration is launching an all-out assault on the social contract.

Scenes from Across the Country

Washington, D.C.: Tens of thousands filled the National Mall with banners reading “Democracy Not Dictatorship” and “Hands Off Our Rights.”

Los Angeles: Pershing Square overflowed with demonstrators decrying both Musk’s technocratic overreach and Trump’s creeping authoritarianism.

New York City: Marches swept through Manhattan as organizers emphasized threats to civil rights, labor protections, and immigrant communities.

San Diego, Chicago, and Atlanta also saw crowds in the tens of thousands, with many local protests centered around specific agency closures and job losses.

A Message from the Streets

The message was clear: this was not a partisan protest, but a mass mobilization against what many now describe as a government sliding into autocracy. While mainstream media coverage varied — some outlets focused on traffic disruptions rather than the protest’s scale or purpose — the sheer turnout forced the story into national headlines.

Whether the administration will respond remains uncertain. What is certain is that on April 5, millions of people said clearly: hands off our country.