Trump-Stronghold The Villages in Florida Holds Large 'Hands Off!' Rally [View all]
Source: Newsweek
Published Apr 05, 2025 at 6:08 PM EDT | Updated Apr 05, 2025 at 6:12 PM EDT
Nearly 2,000 residents of the retirement community known as The Villages, 20 miles south of Ocala, Florida, joined thousands across the United States in a "Hands Off!" protest against President Donald Trump and one of his top advisers, billionaire Elon Musk, a spokesperson for the mobilizing coalition told Newsweek on Saturday.
Why It Matters
"Hands Off!" is a grassroots movement and coalition of hundreds of organizations and mobilizers who want the Trump administration, including Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to take their "hands off" of Social Security, federal jobs, Medicaid, and more. Trump said in a February Fox News interview that Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits, will not be "touched" unless "there's fraud or something."
The protests are taking place just days after Trump's global sweeping tariffs which have rattled global and domestic markets, with Wall Street tanking over the past few days, marking the worst days for the U.S. stock markets since 2020.
The Villages, located in Central Florida, is a Republican stronghold, making it notable that demonstrations are taking place there against the GOP president, who has deep ties to Florida through real estate investments and political allies. The Villages is primarily represented by Republican Representative Daniel Webster of Florida's 11th Congressional District. Newsweek has reached out to Webster's press team for comment via email on Saturday.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/trump-stronghold-villages-florida-holds-large-hands-off-rally-2055912
I know The Villages had a big "golf cart rally" for Harris/Walz before the election but unfortunately it was obviously not enough to make a dent in flipping FL. But we'll have to see if we can start getting more to see the light.
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