In the largest coordinated protests since Trump’s budget cuts began, Americans across all 50 states took to the streets to push back against what they see as a dismantling of democratic institutions and threats to public health and well-being.
Liza Gross and Christine Spolar report for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- Protesters in cities nationwide, led by diverse coalitions that included Indivisible, MoveOn, and Third Act, spoke out against federal cuts to public health programs, environmental protections, and scientific research.
- Many demonstrators shared personal stories of hardship, including job losses tied to canceled Food and Drug Administration audits and retirement savings devastated by Trump-era tariffs and deregulation.
- Climate activists emphasized the need to make polluters pay for the rising costs of disasters, while health professionals warned that cuts to Medicare and Medicaid threaten millions.
Key quote:
“Health care is not just about medical treatment, it’s also about the world we live in and the support systems we all rely on.”
— Cathy Kennedy, president of National Nurses United
Why this matters:
Across the country, from Washington, D.C. to frigid town squares in Montana to sun-baked sidewalks in Phoenix, Americans showed up with signs, songs, and one loud, clear demand: Keep your hands off our country. It was a reminder that while politicians and their billionaire donors may seek to control the message, a country of people who still believe in the power of collective action remain a force to be reckoned with.
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