Protests against the current administration in more than 1,100 locations across all 50 U.S. states are scheduled for tomorrow as President Donald Trump’s approval rating slips to its lowest since his return to office.
According to the Reuters/Ipsos poll, Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 43%. It said “Americans soured on his tariff moves and his administration’s handling of information about a military strike in Yemen.”
New tariffs on the nations major trading partners kicked in this week. Last month, a report in The Atlantic alleged that military officials accidentally messaged a journalist about the Yemen war plans in a group chat
Now, the Hands Off! organization is mobilizing a nationwide protest movement to address other issues with the work of Trump’s second administration. This includes criticism of presidential advisor Elon Musk, a multibillionaire who has led the charge for layoffs as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
“This is a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history,” said the group. “Trump, Musk, and their billionaire cronies are orchestrating an all-out assault on our government, our economy, and our basic rights – enabled by Congress every step of the way.”
Following the 2024 elections, Republicans have majorities in both the House and the Senate. Trump also appointed three out of nine U.S. Supreme Court justices himself and the court has a conservative majority.
Reproductive Freedom for All is an organizing partner for the Hands Off! protests. It highlighted reproductive safety issues as another reason for the protests, citing the court’s move to overturn abortion protections in 2022.
“Overturning Roe v. Wade was just the beginning. Now we face the extremist GOP’s Project 2025 playbook to decimate reproductive rights,” said the group. “In the midst of the ongoing reproductive health care crisis started by Donald Trump and Republicans, we’re facing increasing restrictions and bans on basic care like birth control, miscarriage management, and medication abortion.”
Axios reported that the Hands Off! movement held a Tuesday virtual meeting with nearly 35,000 RSVPs and then virtual safety and de-escalation training on Wednesday. These protests are expected to be the largest since Trump began his second, non-consecutive, term with 250,000 RSVPs as of March 29.
“A core principle behind Hands Off! is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values, and to act lawfully at these events,” said the group website.
On its website, Hands Off! said that the Trump administration wants to: “strip America for parts – shuttering Social Security offices, firing essential workers, eliminating consumer protections, and gutting Medicaid – all to bankroll their billionaire tax scam.”
While these might be the largest protest of the Trump 2.0 era so far, Axios noted that consumers have been protesting corporations with boycotts over anti-diversity policies. Protestors have also targeted Tesla, Musk’s electric car company, and rallied against federal layoffs.
“White House garden tours scheduled for Saturday were postponed to Sunday in anticipation of D.C. protests, first lady Melania Trump said on Thursday,” Axios reported.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also commented on the protests.
"Anyone who thinks protests, lawsuits, and lawfare will deter President Trump must have been sleeping under a rock for the past several years. President Trump will not be deterred from delivering on the promises he made to make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers across the country who overwhelmingly re-elected him,” she told USA TODAY in a statement.