(SRN NEWS/AP/97.5 GLORY FM) – Opponents of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk rallied across the U.S. on Saturday – including in Gainesville and 16 other Georgia cities and towns – to protest the administration’s actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights and other issues.
More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations were planned nationwide by more than 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists. The protest sites included the National Mall in Washington, D.C., state capitols and other locations in all 50 states.
In Gainesville, protesters gathered downtown at early afternoon to make their case known. A group of counter protesters showed up as well in support of the administration and the work Musk is doing on behalf of the president.
Protesters assailed the Trump administration’s moves to fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security Administration field offices, effectively shutter entire agencies, deport immigrants, scale back protections for transgender people and cut federal funding for health programs.In Ohio, hundreds rallied in the rain at the Statehouse in Columbus.
Roger Broom, 66, a retiree from Delaware County, Ohio, said at the Columbus rally that he used to be a Reagan Republican but has been turned off by Trump.
“He’s tearing this country apart,” Broom said. “It’s just an administration of grievances.”
Asked about the protests, the White House said in a statement that “President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats’ stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.”
(Pictured: Ohio protester)
CRUZ WEIGHS-IN WITH A SLAP AT TRUMP, MUSK
As the protests and counter protests unfolded across the country, one of the most conservative members of Congress, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), warned that Americans face an uncertain economic future because of the president’s tariffs.
“There are significant risks if other countries retaliate with their own tariffs, leading to a trade war and increased inflation,” Sen. Cruz said on his podcast, “Verdict with Ted Cruz.” Cruz concluded that the immediate impact of the tariffs is that the prices Americans will pay for goods “will go up significantly. And that is painful.”
