Hope in the Face of Trump and Musk's Destruction
Normally, I send out warnings about the slide into autocracy—about Trump, his cronies, and the rapid dismantling of our institutions. But today, I want to write about something different and hopeful.
We are only eight weeks in, and already, people are fighting back. Across the country, Americans are standing up for their rights. Rallies in support of federal workers, veterans, science, and Ukraine are growing, and the energy is only building.
Town halls are no longer routine political theater—they’ve become battlegrounds. Constituents, angry, scared, and determined, are showing up in force, demanding answers from lawmakers who have long relied on empty platitudes and dodged accountability. The usual script isn’t working anymore.
In Georgia’s 8th District, frustrated voters are hosting their own town hall outside Rep. Austin Scott’s office after a decade of his refusal to hold public forums. Veterans and activists will gather to demand answers on voting rights, defense cuts, and the future of federal programs, making it clear that politicians can no longer hide from the people they claim to serve.
People are waking up. And they aren’t staying silent and getting creative.
Beyond the protests and town halls, the resistance is hitting where it hurts—corporate enablers of Trump’s extremist agenda. Boycotts against Tesla, Walmart, and Amazon are gaining traction as people refuse to support companies that bankroll Trump’s allies or benefit from his egregious policies. Social media is flooded with guides on how to divest from Musk-owned businesses and shift spending to ethical alternatives. The message is clear— if you prop up authoritarianism and are complicit in the destruction of our democracy, the public will make you pay.
Yesterday, I got emotional watching a town hall on C-SPAN in Asheville, North Carolina. More than 1,000 people stood outside, many arriving early just to try to get in, some waving Ukrainian flags, all demanding answers on what Trump and Musk are doing to this country.
Inside, GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards faced a packed room and tried to defend Trump and Musk’s devastating cuts to the VA and gutting of the federal workforce, but the crowd wasn’t having it. They booed and jeered, demanding answers on everything from Social Security cuts, Ukraine, Musk’s hackers infiltrating critical systems, to whether he supports Trump’s unhinged threats to annex Canada and Greenland.
For 90 minutes, he stood there, fielding a barrage of questions from concerned Americans—veterans, seniors, and everyday citizens who refuse to be ignored.
But it wasn’t just the demand for accountability that struck me—it was the solidarity. The Ukrainian flags, the chants for veterans, the sheer determination of everyday Americans refusing to be ignored.
What also got me was the empathy—the way people in Asheville, NC, are standing with Ukrainians after the devastating loss they suffered during the hurricane. Across the country, people are showing up—rallying in support of Ukraine, rejecting Trump’s fealty to Putin, and proving that Americans are not giving up without a fight.
In Belmont, Wisconsin, Rep. Mark Pocan (D) scheduled a town hall near Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s (R) district and called him out for refusing to meet with his constituents, leaving them without answers on critical issues like Medicaid cuts. The place was packed, with people overflowing outside, desperate to be heard. Those who once stayed silent are now speaking out, demanding accountability on Trump, Musk, and the enablers of the attack on America.
At a time when Trump is doing everything to divide and conquer, the past few weeks are giving me hope.
And this isn’t an isolated moment—it’s spreading across towns and cities all over America. Republicans are canceling or refusing to hold town halls because they can’t handle their own voters and don’t want to face accountability.
Yes, Trump is moving fast. Yes, his authoritarian playbook is terrifying. But the people are moving too. And that gives me hope.
Also, thank you to everyone for continuing to stand with Ukraine. 💙💛
Resisting Dictatorship: Ways to Fight Back
Your Guide to Resistance: Fighting Authoritarianism in the United States
Every dictator fears a crowd. More crowds please.
"What also got me was the empathy—the way people in Asheville, NC, are standing with Ukrainians after the devastating loss they suffered during the hurricane." That's a beautiful observation/interpretation! I have many friends in the Asheville area, and they are hurting.