In large urban cities and even rural states such as South and North Dakota, protests were held in the U.S. Wednesday February 5 amid fears about the first wave of moves carried out the new Trump administration.
Trump’s return to the White House has involved a heavy dose of controversial executive orders. And access granted to wealthy adviser Elon Musk is raising legal and ethical questions as he looks to drastically cut budgets for federal agencies or, in some cases, eliminate them.
Kelsey Brianne, an organizer aligned with the Build the Resistance movement, said her event was a response to an “attempted blitz” by Trump against the government he oversees.
“It’s exhausting. These executive orders are not in any way normal,” she explained.
Trump’s moves include revoking affirmative-action policies and withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization. The demonstrations, billed as peaceful grassroots events, are described as frustration over the lack of influential voices trying to intervene, including Democratic leaders. However, some orders have been met with lawsuits. On his social media platform, Musk has defended his work, citing the need to cut government waste.
Backlash against the right-wing policy blueprint known as Project 2025 was another common theme at these rallies. Brianne says in Michigan, they fielded requests from many rural residents to attend. She was encouraged to hear of companion protests in states with mostly rural settings, including the Dakotas, suggesting it’s not an easy decision in regions where Trump is deeply popular.
“You know, that takes guts, that takes courage. And right now, what we need is courage,” she continued.
Brianne added that she grew up in a conservative Christian household, and that her life experience prepared her to see these moves coming, but explained that it’s not easy for a lot of people to keep up with what’s happening, prompting folks like her to draw attention to any actions deemed alarming. While the protests in the Dakotas saw smaller crowds, the Michigan gathering drew hundreds of people.
