On Presidents' Day, over 10,000 protesters gathered in New York City to protest against the current Trump administration, particularly the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk. These protests took place simultaneously with others in major cities across the country.
The protesters expressed concerns about Musk's access to millions of Americans' personal data through DOGE and how that data might be used. They believe it is dangerous for an unelected individual like Musk to wield such power over the federal government. The protesters also stated that DOGE is weakening federal agencies and violating people's privacy rights by taking control of their data.
Dmitri, a 53-year-old architect, shared his thoughts in an interview: "It's very dangerous that Musk has access to our personal data. He doesn't understand how harmful this can be, but he has the power and resources to cause widespread damage."
Tom, a 55-year-old retired teacher, held up a protest sign and said: "No one voted for Musk. He shouldn't have access to Americans' personal data." He also mentioned that he believes the cuts made by DOGE could harm Americans on state, local, and individual levels.
