Across the United States, a powerful wave of resistance is rising against the radical policies of President Donald Trump, who, within just a few months of assuming office, has upended domestic governance and sent shockwaves through the global order. On the streets of New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Chicago, thousands have marched under the banner of “Hands Off Our Rights,” denouncing sweeping federal cuts, immigrant deportations, and assaults on civil liberties.
Organised by over 150 civil society groups—including labour unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, veterans’ associations, and civil rights bodies—the protests are a dramatic response to Trump’s dismantling of key government agencies. His administration has already begun shuttering Social Security field offices, slashing funds for healthcare programmes, closing entire departments like USAID, and deporting thousands under expedited orders.
Musk’s Role and DOGE’s Efficiency Mandate
Fuelled by a desire to centralise control, Trump has appointed Elon Musk as head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Under Musk’s stewardship, the administration is pursuing draconian budget cuts and institutional reorganisations. While Trump continues to claim overwhelming popular support, critics warn that these moves are authoritarian overreaches cloaked in populist rhetoric.
The most jarring policy proposals—such as reducing Canada to the 51st U.S. state, annexing Greenland, and taking control of the Panama Canal—have sparked widespread ridicule abroad and rising anxiety at home.
Crackdowns, Campus Raids, and Free Speech Fears
Campus raids, curbs on academic freedoms, and a growing number of arbitrary arrests have further inflamed public sentiment. Civil liberties groups are sounding the alarm over what they see as a crackdown on free speech and dissent. The deportation drives, targeting even long-settled immigrant communities, are being challenged in courts and through acts of mass civil disobedience.
Trump, however, remains defiant. He has described the protests as “temporary turbulence” and insists that his administration will “get the job done” despite opposition from what he calls the “deep state” and “globalist elites.”
A Test for American Democracy
What began as scattered outrage is now coalescing into a broader, potentially transformative movement. Observers warn that if Trump pushes forward undeterred, the situation may spiral into a full-blown constitutional crisis. Many see these protests as a last-ditch effort to reclaim the democratic ethos enshrined in the American Constitution—a battle for the soul of a nation at a crossroads.
Author: This news is edited by: Abhishek Verma, (Editor, CANON TIMES)
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