Nationwide protests erupt against Trump's policies, including tariffs

According to the organisers, approximately 150 activist groups participated in the coordinated protests, which saw significant turnouts in Washington DC and near the president's Florida residence.

Crowds are demonstrating against Trump and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) director Elon Musk, rallying behind the slogan "Hands off."

The "Hands Off" nationwide protest has been described on its official website as "a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history."

Critics of the Trump administration and the DOGE have organised protests to oppose efforts to reduce federal government size through budget cuts and employee terminations.

Over 150 organizations--including civil rights groups, unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, veterans associations, and election reform activists coordinated more than 1,200 "Hands Off!" demonstrations.

Protesters voiced their opposition against Trump's policies.

A protester told ANI, "I am very inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Today, I am here because it is our ocean and our salt...As for world commerce and world exchange, we have so much to give to each other...This greed of me first, my country first, my products first is unsustainable for the world and humanity..."

Another protester said, "I have lived in Kolkata for almost two years and it is the city where Goddess Kali, a great and powerful force still resides and that force resides all over India and the world...All of us people at the Washington Monument today are saying that this will not stand and Elon Musk and Donald Trump are gonna go down in history as criminals.These people cannot be allowed to remain in power."

Another protester said, "I am here to support all those people who are fighting for their jobs, health insurance, medicare, social security, housing, food. People are suffering as there is no money... Many people have lost their jobs."

Another protester said, "...Our President Trump is a puppet of other interests and the tariffs are a tool to dismantle our country for other interests which are those which are manipulating..."

"We all are here because we are very upset because of teh tariffs, and the recession that the country is going in," another protester said.

Another protester told ANI, "The extreme tariffs that Trump announced are wake up call to Americans and people all around the world to understand that he is a destructive force, he aims to be a dictator, his policies are not good for Americans, they are not good for our allies, trading partners, and people in the developing world, including big democracies like India. We should be working with them as partners and not imposing tariffs that will make Americans poor and make people in India poor. I am hoping that PM Modi will reach out to Donald Trump and explain to him that these tariffs are bad for Americans and bad for the people of India and the world..."

The demonstrations follow President Trump's announcement of sweeping trade tariffs earlier this week, which sent shockwaves through global financial markets and prompted concern from international trading partners.

While protesters gathered, Trump spent Saturday at his golf club in Jupiter, Florida, before returning to his Mar-a-Lago compound later in the afternoon.

On April 2, Trump announced a widespread imposition of tariffs on countries worldwide. In February, soon after taking charge for the second time, Trump outlined a new trade policy focused on fairness and reciprocity and said that the US would implement reciprocal tariffs, charging other countries the same tariffs they impose on American goods.