From Anchorage, Alaska to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., millions of protesters turned out on Saturday for nationwide “Hands Off” demonstrations against the Trump administration’s reckless handling of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and a host of other federal programs.
These protests weren’t the usual political rallies. They were deeply personal, driven by countless stories of concern about programs that Americans depend on. Whether emanating from retirees in Florida or students in Nebraska, the message was loud and clear: Don’t mess with our nation’s social insurance programs!
Roger Broom, a 66-year-old from Ohio, shared the fear many feel while holding a sign at his local rally in Columbus. “They can’t talk about cutting Social Security like it’s just budget trimming,” he said. “This is money I’ve earned after working all my life. Without it, I’m done.”
Why now?
The uproar comes from public frustration with the Trump administration’s plans to slash federal spending (and staff) — abetted by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — under the phony banner of rooting out ‘waste, fraud, and abuse.’ Their main target so far has been the Social Security Administration – including massive layoffs, planned closures of field offices, and new limitations on phone service.
Because of Trump/Musk/DOGE interference, SSA’s website has already crashed multiple times, preventing beneficiaries from accessing their accounts.
“Even when the site is back online, many customers have not been able to sign in to their accounts — or have logged in only to find information missing. For others, access to the system has been slow, requiring repeated tries to get in.” – Washington Post, 4/7/25
Former SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley warned that benefit payments could be disrupted because of Trump/Musk/DOGE meddling with Social Security systems.
***Listen to our new podcast interview with Commissioner O’Malley here, in which he warns that Musk is out to “destroy” Social Security.***
Ground Zero in D.C.
The National Mall in Washington, D.C., was one of the largest gathering spots of the day. Hand-painted signs read, “Stability for Seniors” and “Social Security Is Earned, Not a Handout.” One group chanted, “Hey ho, Trump’s gotta go!” While exact crowd estimates are not available, there likely were tens of thousands of protesters in D.C., if not more, of diverse ages and backgrounds.
NCPSSM’s own Government Relations and Policy Director Dan Adcock attended the protest in Washington. “The whole event was a good balm for the firehose of bad news coming out of this administration on a daily basis,” Adcock says. “People really needed it.”
NCPSSM’s Dan Adcock at the National Mall
Adcock and the other protesters heard rousing speeches from members of Congress. Standing on a stage near the Washington Monument, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said, “Social Security is a promise made from one generation to another. Breaking that promise is breaking America!”
Al and Bev Mirmelstein drove all the way from Charlottesville, VA to attend the D.C. protest. The Mirmlesteins say they have not been to many protests, but felt they had to participate. “We’ve been quiet too long,” Bev confessed, holding a sign reading, “Don’t Rob Our Future.” Her husband Al said, “They’re putting a target on all of us.”
Medicare and Medicaid Under Fire
Protesters sounded the alarm over the Trump administration’s threats to Medicare and Medicaid, too. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., (which oversees Medicare & Medicaid) has announced the elimination of 10,000 jobs in the federal health care workforce, while House Republicans have maneuvered to cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid.
“I’m terrified for my mom,” said Archer Moran, who attended a rally in Florida near Trump’s golf course. He explained that his mother, a Medicaid recipient, would struggle to survive without her health coverage. “They call them cuts. It’s taking away someone’s lifeline. Lives are literally at risk here.”
Small Towns, Big Audiences
The protests extended from the coasts to the Midwest. In Omaha, Nebraska, nearly a thousand people gathered in Memorial Park. Chants of “Protect what’s ours!” could be heard along Dodge Street, while passing cars honked in solidarity. Protester Jean Zinnen brought her 15-year-old granddaughter to the Omaha demonstration. “She needs to see this is an example of showing up for what matters,” Zinnen said, as she clutched a sign reading, “Our Rights, Our Fight.”
Student Calvin Snyder explained why he felt compelled to protest. “Decisions being made (in Washington) that impact the future this badly shouldn’t be met with quiet acceptance,” said Snyder. “It’s not just anger for self-interest. This is for everyone relying on these programs to live.”
Hundreds of people protested, not only in major cities, but in small towns like Sylva, North Carolina, marching through newly blooming spring neighborhoods in solidarity with demonstrators across the country.
Providence, RI
What’s Next?
The protests delivered a loud and defiant message to those in charge, while remaining peaceful. When asked about the protests, President Trump offered a rambling, incoherent response:
“A lot of them were there because what we witnessed was a terrible thing. And we’ve seen it over the years. You know that better than anyone who would know it. And I know it… I think it’s a shame, a disgrace, and it has to stop.”
In addition to the nonsensical gobbledygook, Trump and his administration have promoted the lie that Social Security is rife with fraud, and the myth that “Democrats” are promoting illegal immigration by enticing migrants with Social Security benefits. Not only is this a discredited conspiracy theory, but undocumented workers are legally barred from collecting Social Security (though many pay into the system, increasing Social Security’s revenues).
Organizers of Saturday’s protests insist they weren’t just a one-day event. For many protesters, this was part of an ongoing campaign to resist the Trump administration. Whether at town halls, in the voting booth, or on the streets, resistors don’t appear ready to back down. “This isn’t something people are going to forget,” said Omaha protester Susan Calef.
“The positive energy of these protests reminds people that there are millions of Americans who feel the same way they do,” says NCPSSM’s Dan Adcock. “As long as we hold rallies like these, organize, and vote, we can reverse the awful things that are going on right now.”
Sources:
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/05/us/hands-off-protests-trump-musk/index.html
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/5/hands-off-protesters-rally-across-us-to-oppose-trumps-policies
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/05/nx-s1-5353388/hands-off-protests-washington-dc
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/05/hands-off-protests-trump-us-00274352
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/06/thousands-in-memorial-park-protest-federal-actions-as-part-of-national-han