Editor's note: USA TODAY is providing ongoing coverage of Saturday's protests as Protesters against Trump convene throughout the country. .
For several weeks now, individuals have congregated on street corners of small towns, within major cities, at state capitals, and even in the nation’s capital to voice their discontent and astonishment regarding how President has handled matters. Donald Trump is running the country.
The biggest protest by a large margin is anticipated on Saturday, taking place at numerous sites across the nation. Over 500,000 individuals nationwide have confirmed their attendance for one of these events. 1,000 demonstrations, parades, or political actions organized by several small community-based organizations.
Begin your day with more knowledge. Receive all essential news directly in your mailbox every morning.
"April 5 is truly about urging everyone to unite for a single day and demonstrate the strength of our collective voice to make sure our concerns regarding the policies from this administration are acknowledged and to counteract these negative impacts," stated Rahna Epting, the Executive Director of MoveOn.
Hunter Dunn, a spokesperson for one of the organizations named 50501 which stands for 50 states, 50 capitols, one day, stated that the planners aim to take demonstrations directly to those willing to join in, instead of assuming everybody should gather in just a few major urban centers.
"We aim to create an environment where large-scale protests can take place, but we also ensure that individuals can step outside their doors and begin resistance if necessary. Even if protesting is the only action one can take, we provide a platform for them," Dunn stated.
The hosting organizations encompass well-established entities such as Indivisible, Women’s March, MoveOn, Working Families Power, and Public Citizen, along with newer grassroots movements like 50501 that emerged after Inauguration Day.
The gathering in Washington, D.C., anticipated to be the biggest, begins at midday at the Washington Monument. According to organizers, this protest is projected to surpass in scale the People’s March held the previous weekend leading up to President Trump's second inauguration. The demonstrations will commence as scheduled. livestreamed here .
The office of the First Lady attributed the anticipated demonstrations set for Thursday as the rationale behind shifting the traditional White House spring garden tour to Sunday. Although Trump isn’t slated to be in Washington, he will still encounter the protests during his stay at Mar-a-Lago, his residence in Florida. Several rallies have been organized across the Palm Beach region.
"If anyone believes that demonstrations, legal actions, and lawfare can stop President Trump, they must have been oblivious to recent events. President Trump remains undeterred in his commitment to fulfill pledges aimed at making the federal government more effective and responsive to diligent American taxpayers nationwide, who decisively re-elected him," stated White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to USA TODAY.
Accounts of fairness and movement throughout the USA: Sign up For USA TODAY’s This is America Newsletter.
Building momentum
Demonstrations have surged across the country as Trump has reversed policies protecting immigrants and transgender individuals and dismissed tens of thousands of federal workers. Various protest movements have emerged, with some concentrating explicitly on backing federal employees, advocating for LGBTQ rights, defending immigrant rights, endorsing Palestinian self-governance, or supporting Ukraine. Others have rallied broadly against Trump’s overall policy direction.
In February, over 2,085 demonstrations occurred across the country, as reported by the source. Crowd Counting Consortium This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Harvard Kennedy School and the University of Connecticut. The number rose to 937 demonstrations in February 2017, which was the initial complete month following President Donald Trump’s inauguration into his first term as president.
A significant number of demonstrations during the initial months of President Trump’s first term were considerably bigger compared to what the country witnessed up until 2025. This shift led to decreased media attention.
Epting mentioned that most of the demonstrations or individuals attending their representative’s town hall meetings have been ordinary citizens rallying within their communities due to dissatisfaction with current events and conditions.
When you witness such occurrences, it’s clear that a growing movement is emerging," she stated. "We understand our power increases with more participants. We should ensure everyone joins forces for a single day of coordinated actions to present a unified narrative against these proposed service reductions.
The crux of the matter is the volume.
Rachel O'Leary Carmona, who leads Women’s March as its executive director, mentioned that she is closely monitoring the significant number of planned protests, particularly those happening in smaller communities.
I find it inspiring when 200 individuals gathered in Fargo, North Dakota, and an impressive 700 showed up in Amarillo for a recent rally," she remarked. She emphasized that exhibiting genuine political bravery involves "taking a stance in a modest town within a conservative area of a Republican-leaning state and asserting, ‘We’re present, and we will rise and advocate for justice in our local community.’
Various factions have distinct objectives with their activities, such as marches and demonstrations, she explained. While some aim to demonstrate to the Democrats that they possess the political power to challenge Trump or potentially alter Democratic leadership, others intend to exhibit to Trump and Republicans the magnitude of resistance they encounter.
We’re searching for individuals who will step forward to champion the issues they care about deeply... By uniting these various causes in unity, we aim to demonstrate to our government and the global community that the American people feel unrepresented by their current leadership," Dunn explained to USA TODAY. "We want to make clear that in 2026 and 2028, we intend to reclaim our democratic rights.
The 2017 Women’s March Which attracted millions of women to protest across the nation following Trump's initial election, was led by notable female politicians and celebrities. However, the schedule for Saturday’s march prioritizes speeches from representatives of various organizations, with only a handful of well-known political figures included.
"Carmona emphasized that it’s crucial for individuals to listen to those who experience the same issues firsthand and navigate these challenges together. He stressed the importance of recognizing people's intentions; he believes they aren’t seeking to reinforce others' authority. Instead, they aim to find their own leaders and learn how to assert themselves. This is the message they intend to convey.”
This article has been revised to fix an incorrect date and the name of a participating group.
The article initially appeared on USA TODAY: "There’s an uprising underway": Nationwide anti-Trump demonstrations scheduled for Saturday are set to take place.
