• 2 days ago
In the United States, the Trump administration's ruthless approach to the federal workforce, immigration, Ukraine, and DEI measures has sparked nationwide protests. DW spoke with Americans rallying in Washington, DC.
Transcript
00:00Hundreds chant in unison. Protests are spreading across the U.S. now more than ever.
00:07But in Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, anger runs deep.
00:12Here on Capitol Hill, protesters have aimed their fury at President Donald Trump and his administration.
00:20In his attempt to remake the federal government, Trump has started targeting long-standing institutions,
00:27in many cases challenging the U.S. Constitution itself.
00:32Democratic voters see his approach to geopolitics as brash and fear he is steering the U.S. towards isolation,
00:40weakening long-standing alliances.
00:44Many protesters here are former federal workers.
00:47They were laid off under a harsh cost-cutting plan driven by Trump's newly created Department of Government Efficiency,
00:55led by the world's richest man, Elon Musk.
00:59I was laid off two weeks ago. I work in public health. I'm an epidemiologist.
01:05And, yeah, I was fired because I was still a probationary employee and only had started last summer.
01:12Well, I think Trump and Musk are basically purging the government of anyone who disagrees with them.
01:19That's a big part of it. They're purging.
01:21They're deleting webpages that mention diversity, equity and inclusion, that mention trans people.
01:27They're attacking their opposition within the FBI and other institutions.
01:32Elon Musk was never elected. He wants to reduce his taxes for billionaires, and he's got all the money.
01:40These protests didn't just address domestic issues.
01:43Ukrainian flags waved across Capitol Hill as protesters demanded continued U.S. support
01:49for Ukraine's fight against Russia.
01:51Ukrainian community and as Americans that support Ukraine right now in this war against Russia's aggression,
01:57I think we're really concerned about the actions of this administration.
02:00It's devastating for us to be breaking, you know, 80 years of a transatlantic alliance
02:05and to be siding with fascist authoritarian regimes instead of our democratic allies is unconscionable.
02:14Within weeks of taking office, American President Donald Trump has shaken American democracy to its core.
02:20He has given his right-hand man, billionaire Elon Musk, the power to slash federal jobs.
02:25He has imposed tariffs on his allies and is threatening to impose even more.
02:30And while this is happening, he is ramping up mass deportations.
02:34There is little to no pushback from Republicans.
02:37And federal courts have tried to stall some of his executive actions.
02:41But most here fear that these damages are irreversible.
02:45But protesting against the Trump administration is becoming increasingly difficult.
02:51Trump has threatened to cut federal funding to universities that allow what he describes as illegal protests.

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