What Is 'Hands-Off' Protest That Has Spread Across US

Supported by both domestic and international forces, the protests represent one of the largest anti-Trump mobilizations since his return to the presidency.

- TDG NETWORK

Millions of Americans marched in the massive "Hands Off!" protest, a synchronized national campaign against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The marches, conducted in all 50 states and internationally, condemned Trump's comprehensive budget reductions, termination of government employees, and Musk's increasing control over public policy through the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Organized by more than 150 civil rights and labor organizations, the protests demanded an end to corporate meddling in government, defense of public programs such as Social Security and Medicaid, and protection of marginalized communities. Supported by both domestic and international forces, the protests represent one of the largest anti-Trump mobilizations since his return to the presidency.

Origins of the "Hands Off!" Movement The "Hands Off!" movement arose in reaction to a string of aggressive and immensely unpopular policy initiatives launched by Trump's reconstituted administration. At the center of the furor is the establishment of DOGE—an experimental government department led by Elon Musk and billed as a cost-savings wonder. But behind the branding is a dark truth: wholesale firings of federal employees, draconian cuts to essential services, and severe threats to the nation's democratic foundations.

Critics urge that DOGE functions more as a corporate boardroom than as a democratic government. It has no oversight, advocates privatizing critical public services, and degrades traditional governing institutions. Activists worry that DOGE is being employed as a Trojan horse to dismantle the federal government internally—substituting public accountability with untrammeled corporate power.

The movement's most important demands are:

An immediate halt to federal budget reductions targeting Social Security, Medicaid, veterans' benefits, and public education.