May Day protesters to rally against "billionaire takeover" in Trump administration
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On International Workers' Day Thursday, tens of thousands of protesters across the U.S. will rally against what organizers call President Trump's "war on working people."
Why it matters: Protests against the Trump administration have built momentum as he faces sinking approval ratings and Americans increasingly witness the ramifications of his policies.
- Thursday's events will include rallies, marches, town halls and other actions against what organizers are calling the "billionaire takeover" of the federal government.
By the numbers: More than 70,000 protesters are expected nationwide, organizers said.
- More than 1,100 protest events are scheduled in nearly 1,000 cities across all 50 states.
What they're saying: "This May Day we are fighting back," organizers' website said.
- "We are demanding a country that puts our families over their fortunes —public schools over private profits, healthcare over hedge funds, prosperity over free market politics."
State of play: This month's Hands Off! and 50501 protests marked significant, grassroots resistance to the Trump administration and Elon Musk's influence in the federal government.
- The movements have shared motivations and end goals: fighting for the protections of immigrants and LGBTQ+ people; protecting Social Security and other safety net programs; retaining federal funding for public education; and upending government corruption.
Zoom in: A virtual rally will be held at 8pm ET on Tuesday with representatives of the Working Families Party, Center for Popular Democracy and American Federation of Teachers.
- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will join a Philadelphia rally at 4pm ET on Thursday.
What we're watching: Separately, a coalition of organizers and advocates will "shut down the streets of Washington, D.C." on Wednesday in protest of Trump's first 100 days in office.
- "This is one of the largest coordinated direct actions in the capital since Trump's return to power — a bold escalation that marks a new phase in public resistance," spokesperson Ella Weber said.
Go deeper: In photos: "Hands Off!" protesters rally against Trump across the U.S.
