As President Donald Trump settles into his second time period, Democrats and grassroots activists are scrambling to counter what they name an authoritarian takeover of U.S. democracy.
A brand new grassroots motion that’s each anti-Trump and anti-Elon Musk emerged this week with the hashtags #BuildtheResistance and #50501. Its basis mirrors Ladies’s March protests throughout Trump’s first time period in 2017, which drew in tens of millions from throughout the nation, with nationwide figures and celebrities in attendance.
Although there are fewer individuals behind this new motion—no less than for now—supporters are already fired up.
On Wednesday, 1000’s of peaceable protests erupted all around the nation, together with on the streets and steps of state capitols in Michigan, Texas, Hawaii, Utah, California, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, to call just a few.
Although the pink “pussyhats” have stayed in 2017, a lot of the ethos of the anti-Trump motion is current in immediately’s actions: reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ and trans rights, and girls’s rights.
The aim now? To protest Trump, Musk, and all their anti-democracy cronies throughout all 50 states for in the future.
Video of the protests throughout TikTok, Reddit, and Bluesky reveals individuals chanting and banging drums, and the Bluesky account 50501 Motion, which has 23,900 followers, has been lively in sharing protest clips throughout the nation.
The 50501 protests have been aimed toward Trump’s dismantling, tragedy blame sport, and threatened prosecution for DEI initiatives. The motion particularly targets unelected co-president Musk’s takeover of delicate private information within the U.S. authorities.
It additionally goes after tech billionaires who’ve lined as much as kiss the ring, donating tens of millions to Trump and establishing a brand new American oligarchy. There have been additionally indicators from protesters bucking Trump’s announcement to hunt “long-term” possession of Palestine and Undertaking 2025’s affect within the White Home.
“I’m appalled by democracy’s changes in the last, well, specifically two weeks—but it started a long time ago,” Margaret Wilmeth advised AP throughout a protest in Columbus, Ohio. “So I’m just trying to put a presence into resistance.”
But it surely’s unclear what the motion plans to do subsequent or if any extra protests might be scheduled.
In the meantime, Democrats have been burgeoning of their resistance efforts this week.
On Monday, the newly appointed DNC Chair Ken Martin stated the occasion was organising a “war room” to fight misinformation.
Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, laid out a 10-point plan in particular element relating to the steps legislators should take to oppose Trump and Musk’s efforts to slash Medicare, purge the federal authorities, and shut down federal businesses.
With no management over any department of presidency, Democratic officers have additionally taken to the streets with protesters.
Led by Senate Democrats, Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren stood shoulder-to-shoulder with protesters exterior the Treasury Division Tuesday. And a day earlier than, Democrats protested exterior the U.S. Company for Worldwide Improvement demanding solutions on Musk’s hostile takeover and the firing of USAID staff.
As Trump’s second time period continues to unfold, Democrats and grassroots activists are mobilizing in new and evolving methods to counter what they see as an existential menace to democracy.
The fast emergence of the 50501 motion reveals that resistance to Trump isn’t fading—even because the occasion scrambles to redefine itself in a authorities the place it holds little energy.
