"Don't Touch!" Anti-Trump Protests Across US

WASHINGTON DC, SUNDAY - Massive protests occurred in the United States, opposing the administration of President Donald Trump. Although he has been in power for only four months, Trump is considered to have disrupted democracy and destabilized the country.

The protest was called hands-off, which in Trump's context means don't touch. Therefore, many posters read "don't touch democracy", "don't touch Palestine", "don't touch Greenland", and so on.

Participants also waved US flags. Some were flown upside down. This is a symbol when the country is under threat and the people rise up to fight.

The protests began on Saturday (5/4/2025) local time or Sunday (6/4/2025) Indonesian time. The action was coordinated through social media. It was recorded that 1,200 cities in 50 US states confirmed that they were holding or would hold hands-off demonstrations.

So far, actions have been carried out in major cities. Some of them include Washington DC, New York (New York), Chicago (Illinois), Los Angeles (California), and Salt Lake City (Utah). There were also mass demonstrations in Jupiter (Florida), where Trump was playing golf.

The participants protested various Trump policies, ranging from the trade war that caused a surge in the prices of basic necessities, the dismissal of hundreds of thousands of federal employees, and the elimination of tolerance and affirmative regulations in schools and workplaces.

They also protested the presence of billionaire Elon Musk in the government. Musk, the owner of Tesla, X, and SpaceX, is the largest donor to Trump's campaign in the 2024 general election. He was unilaterally appointed by Trump, without any legal framework or inauguration, to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

On the grounds of efficiency, DOGE has dismissed 56,000 federal employees and forced 75,000 others into early retirement. Following the terminations, a federal judge ruled that DOGE's actions were improper as they did not comply with employment regulations. Several employees have been reinstated.

The presence of Musk in a key strategic position within the government is seen as a manifestation of oligarchy. In addition to Musk, Trump has also appointed 13 billionaires as ministers or heads of agencies.

"Various decisions by Trump not only attack politically but also personally. He attacks the people from various personal aspects," said human rights activist Kelley Robinson in Washington, DC.

Trump specifically issued a rule that does not recognize gender diversity in the US. There is also a rule that removes the guarantee of inclusivity in educational institutions and offices. Therefore, US citizens are upset with Trump's actions

"Every American deserves a country that is safe, free and dignified. Not a country that only protects a select few," Robinson said.

In addition, Trump is also considered not to have addressed the economic crisis in the US. The country is still hit by a bird flu outbreak so that many poultry livestock are destroyed. As a result, the price of eggs and chicken meat skyrocketed which then spread to other commodities.

On top of that, Trump announced import tariffs to all trading partners. China was hit with a total tariff of 54 percent, Canada 25 percent, and Mexico 25 percent. As a result, the price of goods in the US continues to rise, while people's purchasing power is low.

"My father lost 25 percent of his retirement savings in three days because of tariffs and price controls," a participant named Jian in New York told Insider.

Similar concerns were expressed by Dorothy Auer (62). She worked and saved for 40 years. Her investment savings collapsed because the stock market was hit by tariffs. "I'm worried that I won't be able to retire," she said.

People expressed disappointment because there was no response from the government.

In addition to the domestic situation, the demonstrators also protested Trump's international policies. They protested Trump's decision to evacuate the Gaza Strip in Palestine, the desire to annex Canada, and Greenland in Denmark, as well as the US's growing distance from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Based on monitoring on various social media accounts, hands-off actions will also be carried out by US immigrants in England, Germany, and Mexico.

The latest decision by the US government that has angered the public is the cutting of grant funds to Brown University by US$510 million. This cuts follow previous decisions made by the government to Columbia University, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton.

Education Minister Linda McMahon said the universities were anti-Semitic. In addition to holding pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel rallies, they were accused of discriminating against Jewish students. The universities denied the allegations.

The government also carried out mass deportations, claiming to target illegal immigrants, but in reality targeting people of color who were U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

"We cannot have a government that puts people at risk simply because of their ethnic identity," said Boston, Massachusetts Mayor Michelle Wu.

Boston is one of the "rebel" cities. The local government refuses to cooperate with the center to deport illegal immigrants. According to local rules, only immigrants who are proven to have committed serious crimes can be deported.

The people are demanding that Trump come down to meet the crowd. Instead of playing golf. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitte told USA Today that Trump will not be swayed.

"If you think demonstrations can deter the President, you have been like frogs in a well. The President will fulfill his promise to make the government more efficient and reliable for the people," he said.

However, some Republican politicians have begun to criticize Trump. One of them is Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. Along with three Republican senators Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski, they have criticized the tariffs.

Paul compared Trump's tariffs to President William McKinley's tariffs in 1890. McKinley lost the next election by a landslide because 50 percent of his supporters switched their votes to another candidate.

"These tariffs are bad for politics and bad for the economy. The higher the tariffs, the lower the trade balance and the lower people's purchasing power," he told Fox News.

A Reuters-Ipsos poll last week showed Trump's approval rating has dropped from 47 percent in January to 43 percent. A Harvard Caps-Harris poll said Trump's approval rating has dropped from 52 percent in February to 49 percent.

(AP/AFP)