US Protesters Mark May Day with Hundreds of Anti-Trump Rallies Nationwide
Across the United States, demonstrators marked May Day 2025 with massive rallies protesting former President Donald Trump’s influence, his administration’s controversial policies, and efforts to expand presidential power.
Organized by a network of progressive groups, the anti-Trump protests spanned more than 1,000 locations, with major events in cities like New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Philadelphia, as well as in smaller towns across the country.
In Washington D.C., protesters pitched tents on the National Mall early Thursday, calling for Trump’s impeachment and denouncing his continued political influence. Many carried banners demanding workers’ rights and accountability in leadership.
Despite the scale of public dissatisfaction, some demonstrators expressed frustration with Democratic lawmakers’ perceived inaction. “Elected Democrats are falling down on the job,” said Peter, a retired protester who declined to share his full name. “They’re not doing what’s necessary.”
The event was spearheaded by 50501, a grassroots coalition symbolizing 50 protests in 50 states plus one movement. This group has consistently mobilized opposition against Trump-era policies and what critics describe as the billionaire-driven governance model.
Among the day’s most anticipated events was a rally in Philadelphia hosted by AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the U.S. The rally featured a keynote speech from Senator Bernie Sanders, who has been actively organizing nationwide to rally workers and push back against economic inequality.
The theme of the rally, “For the Workers, Not the Billionaires,” aimed squarely at Trump’s alliance with wealthy elites, including high-profile business magnates like Elon Musk, who leads a government cost-cutting initiative dubbed the “Department of Government Efficiency.”
While May Day is internationally recognized as International Workers’ Day, it is not a federal holiday in the U.S., which observes Labor Day in September. Nonetheless, this year’s rallies transformed May 1 into a significant day of political resistance and worker solidarity in America.
