Democratic activists are intensifying protests against Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s administration this week, leveraging congressional recess to pressure lawmakers over drastic federal budget cuts. Hundreds of rallies at Tesla dealerships and congressional offices aim to spotlight Musk’s role in dismantling agencies overseeing healthcare, education, and veterans’ services.
Indivisible, a progressive coalition with 1,300 chapters, urges members to focus on Musk’s political influence rather than his companies.
“This isn’t about Tesla or SpaceX—it’s about Musk targeting Social Security and Head Start programs,”said Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin. Protesters are instructed to avoid disrupting business operations while emphasizing Musk’s alliance with Trump.
The backlash coincides with layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and CDC, including:
- Cancer and opioid addiction researchers
- 5,000+ HHS employees
- 10% of CDC’s workforce
Senator Bernie Sanders and DNC Chair Ken Martin are touring battleground states to rally opposition. Martin warned in Pittsburgh that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency threatens economic data integrity, arguing
“working families rely on accurate unemployment and inflation reports.”
House Democrats face pressure to host town halls highlighting the “devastating impacts” of cuts. MoveOn and Working Families Party are organizing rallies targeting both parties, with spokesperson Ravi Mangla noting
“vulnerable Republicans haven’t felt enough heat—until now.”
Trump defends the cuts as anti-waste measures, while Musk admits “mistakes” in implementation. With Democrats lacking congressional control, protests and lawsuits remain their primary tools to challenge the administration.
