Concerned about the political direction and future of the United States, thousands of New Yorkers took to the streets on Presidents Day, protesting the second Trump administration’s actions to gut the federal government, eradicate transgender rights, undermine checks and balances, and more.
Starting at Union Square, the protesters made their way down to Washington Square Park and were still filing in at publication.
Trump was not the only focus of their anger; billionaire Elon Musk, who has been heavily involved in the White House as part of a “Department of Government Efficiency,” was also targeted — with many describing him as an unelected usurper working in tandem with Trump to transform America into an authoritarian nation.
“We’re here today because it’s President’s Day. And instead of having a president, we appear to have a dictator who is having a coup. It’s his second attempted coup, and it is our job to stop that coup and make it an unsuccessful coup, and one of the ways we do that is to bring people out into the street to protest,” said Jamie Bauer, Rise and Resist. “We know that people are upset and they don’t like what’s happening, but we have to give them a peaceful venue to show that.”
It’s only been four weeks since President Trump took office for a second term, and “Trump 2.0” has already “flooded the zone” with dozens of executive orders, including attempting to ban constitutionally-enshrined birthright citizenship, prohibiting trans athletes in the NCAA; ordering tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China; deporting undocumented migrants to Guantánamo and other parts of the world; and pushing through controversial cabinet members like anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
With the creation of the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), Trump has seemingly given a blank check to billionaire Musk, a private citizen, to fire federal workers, freeze billions of dollars in federal funding, and close down federal agencies.
Protestors shared they were fearful that Trump was dismantling democracy because his executive orders were in line with Project 2025, a 900-page memo drafted by conservative think-tank the Heritage Foundation that calls for abolishing the Department of Education and rolling back immigrant, women’s, and transgender rights, to name a few.
“We have a short window of time in which to stop fascism from taking over in the United States of America. Germany had this short window of time, and they did not use it. Hitler took charge,” said Julie DeLaurier. “We have a short window of time, and we have a good start, and we have to keep it up, because people rising up and fighting back against this fascism is all that will stop the fascists, the billionaires, the oligarchs, from taking over our country for good.”
Frank Garcia, chairman of the National Association of Latino State Chambers of Commerce, spoke out against both Trump and embattled Mayor Eric Adams over immigration He noted that bodegas have seen a 60% decline in business because many immigrants are laying low for fear of deportation.
“We feel that Trump has infiltrated the minority business program that we work so hard is suing Bloomberg for to make sure we get 35% of our disadvantaged businesses in New York that deserve to have a voice,” said Garcia. “We feel Mayor Eric Adams has sold out to the community. I voted for him. I supported him. So myself and my counterparts in the Bodega Association, we’re all coming together to get him out.”
Protesters also called out Democratic leaders, demanding they recognize the urgency. Lisa Raymond Tolin with Indivisible Brooklyn specifically called on Senator Chuck Schumer and Brooklyn U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, to step up.
“It’s so exciting to see thousands and thousands of people taking to the streets,” Tolin said. “Finally, after three weeks of, I think, shock and awe, people are starting to wake up and realize that everybody needs to get involved to demand that Congress does its job, that Schumer does his job, that Jeffries does his job to stop this coup and to fight back like everybody needs to stand up and be here.”
