Quick summary
• Thousands of protesters in all 50 states participated in the “No Kings on Presidents Day” rallies, rejecting Trump’s authoritarianism and Musk’s growing influence over government.
• The 50501 Movement organized the demonstrations, emphasizing opposition to fascism, oligarchy, and the dismantling of democratic institutions.
• Major protests took place in cities like Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., with signs reading “Deport Musk, Dethrone Trump” and chants of “No Kings!”
• Elon Musk was a primary target of the protests due to his role in slashing federal agencies through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
• Trump’s administration has been rapidly consolidating power, dismantling agencies like the CFPB, EPA, and Department of Education while favoring corporate interests.
• 50501 organizers plan further actions, including another round of nationwide protests and legal challenges against the administration’s executive overreach.
• Protesters vowed to continue fighting against Trump and Musk’s attempts to replace democracy with corporate rule, declaring that the resistance is only growing stronger.
Across the United States, thousands of protesters took to the streets on Presidents Day, rejecting what organizers called the “anti-democratic and illegal actions” of President Donald Trump and his plutocratic allies. The 50501 Movement, which organized the demonstrations, called for mass mobilization in response to what they describe as a corporate coup of the federal government.
Rallies were held in all 50 states, from blizzard-bound Maine to the warm streets of California, as demonstrators demanded the protection of democratic institutions, denounced Trump’s ongoing “flood the zone” strategy of executive overreach, and condemned the influence of billionaire Elon Musk over government policy.
“The current administration has clarified that it cares more about profit than people. We as a collective refuse to stand by as they continue to undermine the dignity of our communities,” 50501 said in a statement.
The 50501 Movement, named for its goal of organizing “50 protests in 50 states on one day,” has quickly become a leading force in resisting the administration’s sweeping changes to the federal government.
Monday’s “No Kings on Presidents Day” action was the second wave of national protests coordinated by the group in less than a month. Their first nationwide effort, held on February 5, drew over 80 demonstrations across the country.
“We reject fascism. We reject the oligarchy. We reject the idea that any person’s worth is less than another’s,” the movement declared in a statement. “Together, we are a force for change.”
Protesters carried revolutionary-era imagery, with signs reading “This is a Coup” and “Cowards Bow to Trump, Patriots Stand Up.” In Washington, D.C., a massive banner unfurled near the White House read “Deport Musk, Dethrone Trump.”
In Boston, nearly 1,000 people braved frigid temperatures to march from the Massachusetts Statehouse to City Hall, chanting “Elon Musk has got to go!” Some wore Revolutionary War-style clothing, carrying signs that framed their resistance as a fight to protect the nation’s founding ideals.
“I thought it was important to be here on Presidents Day to demonstrate for what America stands for,” said Emily Manning, an engineer from Boston who attended with her two teenage sons. “American values are not the values of the plutocracy or the limited few rich people.”
In Phoenix, protesters attempted to enter the Arizona Statehouse to demand accountability from lawmakers pushing a controversial immigration bill that would bolster federal deportation policies. Security forces blocked them at the doors, and the situation became tense before 50501 organizer December Archer intervened.
“We’re trying to make sure everything stays civil and stays respectable because again, we’re here to make a statement, not be the statement,” she said.
Demonstrations also erupted in Seattle, where protesters gathered outside a Tesla dealership to denounce Musk’s government ties, and in Sacramento, where demonstrators chanted, “Fuck Elon Musk!”
In Washington, D.C., thousands rallied in front of government buildings, calling attention to what they described as a coordinated effort to dismantle democratic institutions from within.
One sign at the protest in the nation’s capital read: “Deport Musk, Dethrone Trump.”
Musk, one of the most frequent targets of the protests, has expanded his influence over government policy through his role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a position created through Trump’s executive orders.
Under Musk’s leadership, DOGE has gutted regulatory agencies, slashed environmental protections, and eliminated key financial oversight measures. His companies, meanwhile, have secured lucrative government contracts while Musk oversees budget cuts across other departments.
“We the people will not live under a king,” progressive organizer Kai Newkirk declared. “We will not allow Trump and Musk’s administrative coup.”
The “Flood the Zone” Strategy and the Fight to Protect Democracy
The protests come in response to Trump’s rapid consolidation of executive power, which has overwhelmed his opponents with a relentless stream of executive orders, mass layoffs, and deregulation efforts.
Since his return to office, Trump’s administration has aggressively pursued policies that align with Project 2025, a right-wing blueprint designed to restructure the government and entrench corporate control.
Under Musk’s guidance, DOGE has already dismantled:
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which was designed to protect Americans from predatory financial practices.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), rolling back key environmental regulations.
• The Department of Education, cutting funding and removing oversight of public schools.
Protesters see this as a deliberate attempt to dismantle federal agencies from within.
The 50501 Movement has made it clear that their resistance will not stop with these demonstrations.
Organizers have already begun planning another wave of nationwide protests in March, and discussions are underway for a series of direct actions, including legal challenges and lobbying efforts against the administration.
“This movement is about more than just one day—it’s about standing firm in our beliefs and seeing it through, no matter the challenges we may face,” the group posted on social media.
Activists are also urging Congress to investigate Musk’s conflicts of interest and challenging Trump’s executive orders in court.
The “No Kings on Presidents Day” protests sent a powerful message: Americans will not sit quietly while Trump and Musk consolidate power.
As demonstrators marched in the snow-covered streets of Rhode Island, blocked the Arizona Statehouse, and gathered under the glow of city lights in Los Angeles, their demands echoed across the nation:
This fight is far from over.
With Trump’s administration rapidly dismantling federal oversight, corporate control expanding unchecked, and civil liberties under threat, protesters vowed to continue pushing back with equal force.
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