Thousands Across Wisconsin Protest Cuts Under Trump, Musk
National 'Hands Off' movement sparks protests in dozens of Wisconsin cities.
Hundreds of protesters lined a busy intersection in La Crosse, Wis. to protest federal layoffs and funding cuts under the Trump administration on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Hope Kirwan/WPR
Thousands of Wisconsin residents turned out Saturday to protest federal funding cuts and layoffs made by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
There were dozens of demonstrations planned across the state, including in Milwaukee, Kenosha, Green Bay and Eau Claire.
The “Hands Off!” protests came from a national partnership of labor unions, pro-democracy and Democratic groups, and coincided with a national protest in Washington, D.C. and other major U.S. cities.
Madison protesters worry about future of Medicaid, LGBTQ+ rights
Thousands gathered near the Capitol in Madison, carrying signs like “what Cory said,” referencing New Jersey democratic Sen. Cory Booker’s record-breaking speech and “Elon, Wisconsin has unfriended you,” referencing the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court election.
They chanted “This is what Democracy looks like,” and “Trump and Musk have got to go,” and marched down State Street.
Thousands of protesters gathered at the state Capitol Saturday, April 5. Anna Marie Yanny/WPR
Ella Gelhausen, 11, of McFarland attended her first protest with her moms and grandmother. She said a big reason they came out is because she relies on Medicaid for treatment.
“Because I have ADHD, autism and anxiety,” Gelhausen said. “It’s kind of a big deal if that gets taken away.”
Gelhausen receives medicine, therapies and resources that are fully funded through Medicaid, her mother, Erin Taylor, said.
“That’s a huge help to our family,” Taylor said. “It would be a big loss if we didn’t have that funding.”
Ella Gelhausen (center), 11, attended the protest with her moms, Erin Taylor (right) and Hillary Cheever (center), and grandmother, Becky Taylor (left). Anna Marie Yanny/WPR
Gelhausen said she also came out to support her parents and friends who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Mary Westring, 84, of Madison said she came out because she’s worried about hatred and division in the country.
“I’m not so much worried about increased prices,” Westring said. “That’s minor compared to the injustice that we’re seeing.”
“They’re using fear, they’re creating fear of our neighbors,” she said of the Trump administration. “It breaks my heart.”
Westring said decades ago, she attended marches to protest the Vietnam War.
“And it worked, this is gonna work,” she said. “The whole country is rising up.”
La Crosse area residents protest cuts to veterans health care, jobs
In La Crosse, more than 500 protesters lined the busy intersection of Losey Boulevard and State Road, chanting and cheering as cars honked their support. A small band of musicians wandered among the crowd playing songs like “This Land is Your Land.”
People held signs calling on the Trump administration to protect programs like Social Security and Medicaid. Others called for support for scientific research, public education and civil rights.
La Crosse area residents protest against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk at the “Hands Off!” protest on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Hope Kirwan/WPR
Liz Daines from La Farge brought her parents from Sparta to the protest. Her mother, Sharon Daines, worked as a Head Start teacher for 18 years, and her father, Russell, is an Army veteran and worked in the steamfitters union for 40 years.
“I’m just feeling like everything that my parents have worked for is just under siege, and we don’t want to see that,” Liz said. “So I’m just feeling really frustrated, and this [event] gives us hope.”
Russell Daines said he’s worried the Trump administration’s decisions will send the country into a recession, hurting union jobs and his pension. He’s also concerned about the cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“It’s really going to affect the veterans and what they receive,” he said.
Liz Daines (left) stands with her parents, Russell and Sharon Daines. Hope Kirwan/WPR
Kim Aponte and her daughter, Maggie, held signs decorated in colorful stars that called for “hands off” LGBTQ+ rights and the nation’s history. Aponte said she’s been to protests in the past, but Saturday’s demonstration was “by far the most energetic.”
Lisa Vander is a visiting professor of economics at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse whose research focuses on the next generation of jobs and the rise of artificial intelligence. She said the federal grant funding for education and workforce development that she hoped would support her work has been cut.
“How are we going to innovate new jobs if we don’t have [research and development] and if we don’t have public support to support new businesses?” Vander said. “They’ve cut all of that off. Mathematically, that doesn’t work.”
Protesters surrounded the intersection of Losey Boulevard and State Road in La Crosse. Hope Kirwan/WPR
Thousands across Wisconsin protest cuts under Trump, Musk was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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After reading this article it seems like everybody they interviewed essentially wants more money from other taxpayers and is angry if it is threatened. Also mutiole people are incorrectly stating that social security and medicaid are being taken away this is not true as the administration has repeatedly explained this. Everyone has the right to peacefully protest in the U.S. so I give them credit for this. I feel like if these people put half of this effort into solving the issues plaguing liberal run cities like failing schools, violence and poverty instead of driving to madison to be angry we might actually improve our cities. We as a state need to stop name calling and childish behavior to come together for the benefit of everyone. It starts with rethinking our k-12 schools, we are inadequately preparing our youth with irrelavant curriculum that is not even coming close to setting them up for success in the real world.
Wake up Ryan! The staff at social security offices, which was already understaffed, has been cut by
doge. Try to call them and see how long it takes. People have a right to be concerned. I agree that we need to come together to protect each other from Trump. That is just what people did in peaceful protest on Saturday. If you have constructive ideas for improving the curriculum in your school district, I suggest that you get involved by attending school board meetings and letting your voice be heard.
All these knucklehead defenders of the wealthy neglect to consider one thing. Billionaires have made plenty of money off of us on the way to making their fortune, and they owe it to us to ensure we all have a decent retirement after years of working so hard.
Ever since Reagan, productivity numbers have skyrocketed while worker salary growth has flatlined when adjusted for inflation.
Through economic ups and downs, it’s no surprise that many have not put much away for retirement.
Now, we have this 4.5 trillion tax cut passed this weekend, which will benefit mainly the upper 1%. Please, billionaire bootlickers, explain why they need this. Just one billion is more money than 20 of us make in our lifetimes.
And guess where that money is coming from. You, me, and our Social Security.
Many commentators on Facebook wondered why we protested yesterday across America, and we were clueless about the reason for the protests.
Kind of reminds me of Judas in the Book of John complaining about Mary using perfume which cost a year’s pay on Jesus’ feet. Not only are the poor the furthest thing from their minds, but what we did this weekend was to rally for the millions of poor who are going to be hurt badly by Trump’s policies.
Yes, this won’t solve our problems, but united action has to start somewhere. It’s called standing up for ourselves; we welcome the rest of you to join us.
Don’t we deserve decent lives like others in Western countries?
Foreign countries didn’t steal our jobs.
American companies gladly handed them over, and their CEOs made billions, which they now refuse to allow to be taxed.
And suckers are good about that.
As a 75 y/o retired health care clinician in family medicine who volunteers at free clinics and on several Milwaukee County committees and the Commission on Aging, I’ve developed a list of so many issues that I cannot write them down on a placard! Suffice to say, my retirement IRAs are at serious risk; my older adult friends and family have outrageous medical and housing needs, and I myself cannot afford prescribed treatments that I cannot afford and that my Medicare insurance WILL NOT COVER, because of federal policies initiated by POTUS47.
But rather than run through a laundry list, I will admit that some of us have different realities that can never be reconcilled or understood by POTUS47 supporters and MAGA cultists.
Ryan Cotic, “I feel like if these people put half of this effort into solving the issues plaguing liberal run cities like failing schools, violence and poverty instead of driving to madison to be angry we might actually improve our cities.” What are your ideas for solving issues plaguing all cities– not just “liberal run” cities. Think life is better in Mesa, AZ? Oklahoma City, OK? Jacksonville, FL? Here’s a list of conservative/liberal cities, according to Pew https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/08/08/chart-of-the-week-the-most-liberal-and-conservative-big-cities/
Hey, Ryan. Do you think all of the cuts already made within HHS are a good thing? Do you really think cutting all of those positions and programs will actually be beneficial to overall American public health, especially while in the midst of a measles outbreak that is killing people? This is happening while the head of HHS downplays the need for measles vaccination, because that is just his OPINION. And that opinion has no basis in scientific or medical fact. That’s the guy heading the HHS, handed the job based on merit (sarcasm) rather than experience and competence.
That’s just one agency head at one agency. The list goes on and on of incompetent people heading major agencies of this country and making us not only less great, but in some cases, dangerously unprotected. Musk, Hegseth, Gabbard, Bondi, Lutnick, McMahon, Noem, Zeldin, Ratcliffe, Rollins and even Rubio are nothing but butt-kissing sycophants of Trump. That is how reTrumplicans have redefined “merit-based”.
I will protest as loudly and as often as needed against all of these charlatans, their horrible policies, and their slow but steady destruction of our democracy.
Wow lots of hate filled angry people out there. I think if people actually took responsibility for themsmelves they would no longer have to tear others down.
@Ryan, totally agree with your last comment. We wouldn’t need to erase women and people of color from our history and deny the evils of slavery. We wouldn’t scapegoat trans kids or LGBT folk. We wouldn’t rush to deport sorely needed immigrant workers, tearing them from their families. We wouldn’t alienate our allies while electing a felon who spews the Kremlin line. That’s what you meant, right?
All these knucklehead defenders of the wealthy neglect to take into account one thing. Billionaires have made plenty of money off of us on the way to making their fortune, and they owe it to us to ensure we all have a decent retirement after years of working so hard.
Ryan, please spare us this crap about people taking responsibility.
Since Reagan, productivity numbers have skyrocketed while worker salary growth has flatlined when adjusted for inflation.
Through economic ups and downs, it’s no surprise that many have not put much away for retirement.
And now we have this 4.5 trillion tax cut passed last night, which will benefit mainly the upper 1%. Please, billionaire bootlickers, explain why they need this. Just one billion is more money than 20 of us make in our lifetimes.
And guess where that money is coming from. You, me, and our Social Security.
Many commentators on Facebook and other places wondered why we protested yesterday across America, and were clueless about the protests.
Hope this helps.
While a appreciate Ryan Cotic’s position and respect it, I disagree with his statement that everyone else posting here is hate-filled and angry, and should JUST be concerned with school curricula to solve the country’s issues.
Ignoring the chaos that Frump and Co. have created (with no reasonable end in sight) while he and his group of merry men sit back and watch Rome burn is tantamount to joining their club of incompetents. I choose not to do that.
To all other posters here: 🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯