More than 500,000 demonstrators are expected to rally across the United States on Saturday, with a major gathering planned for the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as part of a coordinated protest against the policies of President Donald Trump and his administration's alliance with billionaire Elon Musk.
The "Hands Off!" protests, organized by more than 150 left-leaning groups including MoveOn, Indivisible, and a coalition of labor unions and civil rights organizations, are scheduled to take place in all 50 states. Organizers say over 1,200 events have been planned, with state capitols and major cities preparing for large crowds.
"This is shaping up to be the biggest single-day protest in the last several years of American history," said Ezra Levin, a founder of Indivisible, during a recent organizing call.
The primary focus of the protests is what organizers describe as a sweeping effort by the Trump administration, backed by Musk and other wealthy allies, to dismantle public institutions and redirect taxpayer resources to private interests. Among the actions cited by organizers are plans to shutter Social Security offices, terminate thousands of federal employees, and cut federal healthcare and consumer protection funding.
"This is a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history," reads the protest's official website. "Trump, Musk, and their billionaire cronies are orchestrating an all-out assault on our government, our economy, and our basic rights - enabled by Congress every step of the way."
Members of Congress including Rep. Jamie Raskin (D., Md.), Rep. Maxwell Frost (D., Fla.), and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) are slated to speak at the D.C. event.
The protests follow a turbulent week on Wall Street, triggered by Trump's April 1 announcement of sweeping new tariffs, which contributed to a sharp market downturn. Despite the financial fallout, Trump defended his approach, stating Friday: "My policies will never change."
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump's approval rating fell to 43% this week, marking a low point in his current term, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Activists say the Saturday protests are aimed not just at opposing specific policies, but at building a mass movement. "They want to strip America for parts," the protest website claims. "If we don't fight now, there won't be anything left to save."
Musk, who leads Tesla, SpaceX, and social media platform X, now also heads the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. In that role, he has advocated for widespread government cuts, claiming to save taxpayers billions of dollars.
Demonstrators are also targeting Musk's influence within the administration, particularly on issues ranging from federal staffing to LGBTQ+ protections and immigration enforcement.
Although Trump and Musk have faced protests before, organizers say Saturday's events could rival the scale of the 2017 Women's March, which drew over 470,000 people to Washington, D.C., and millions more nationwide.
