Washington: Opponents of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk are set to rally across the United States on Saturday, protesting the administration's actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights, and other key issues.

Over 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations have been organised by more than 150 groups, including civil rights organisations, labour unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, veterans, and fair-elections campaigners. The protests will take place across the country, including on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in state capitals, and other locations in all 50 states.

The White House has not responded to requests for comment regarding the protests. Trump has consistently promoted his policies as being in the best interests of the United States.

Protesters are criticising the Trump administration’s actions, which include plans to fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security Administration field offices, effectively shut down entire agencies, deport immigrants, reduce protections for transgender individuals, and cut federal funding for health programmes.

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Protests against Donald Trump, Elon Musk (Photo: AFP)

Elon Musk, a key adviser to Trump and the owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X, has been central to efforts to downsize government as head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. Musk claims his actions are saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

Nationwide demonstrations against Trump and Musk have occurred on multiple occasions since the administration’s arrival, but so far, none have reached the scale of major protests like the Women’s March in 2017, which saw thousands of women gather in Washington, DC, or the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted in cities following the death of George Floyd in 2020.

Organisers are hopeful that Saturday’s protests will be the largest since Trump’s return to office in January.