Across the country and beyond, thousands took to the streets on May 1 in protests aimed squarely at President Donald Trump, but behind the scenes, critics say it was liberal billionaires and activist elites who funded and organized the events to sow division and push a far-left agenda under the banner of “May Day 2025.”
Promoted as a celebration of workers’ rights, the demonstrations were heavily backed by wealthy donors and political operatives who have spent millions to attack Trump and undermine his America First policies. Over 1,000 rallies were coordinated by groups tied to labor unions, activist nonprofits, and far-left organizers, many of which have received funding from progressive mega-donors who continue to oppose Trump’s reforms aimed at restoring law and order and shrinking bloated federal bureaucracy.
In Washington, D.C., protests turned the streets near the White House into a spectacle of anti-Trump chants and extreme rhetoric. Speakers openly accused Trump and his administration of trying to “erase labor rights” and “silence immigrant voices,” while ignoring any recognition of the record-low unemployment rates and wage growth seen under his economic agenda.
High-profile liberal figures, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, joined union-backed rallies to amplify their demands, which include taxpayer-funded healthcare and housing for all, the expansion of federal control over education, and halting deportations even for those with criminal records. Critics argue this agenda isn’t about workers—it’s about turning America into a socialist experiment bankrolled by billionaires.
Elon Musk, a frequent target of the protests despite his recent efforts to streamline government operations, was lumped in with other wealthy figures like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg—liberal tech moguls who themselves have contributed millions to left-wing causes. Ironically, while the protests claimed to fight billionaire influence, many of the organizing groups have direct ties to funding from these same elites.
At one rally, a woman condemned the deportation of her husband, who was removed following legal proceedings, and accused the Trump administration of playing “political games”—a narrative organizers used to evoke emotion but which ignores the broader national security context of immigration enforcement.
In Arizona and Florida, protests brought disruption to local communities, including the conservative retirement enclave of The Villages, where tensions flared as left-wing activists clashed with longtime Trump supporters. Meanwhile, groups like Mi Familia en Accion pushed divisive rhetoric, framing immigrants as victims while dismissing legitimate concerns about illegal immigration and the strain on public resources.
Critics say the May Day movement is less about honoring workers and more about weaponizing public sentiment against a duly elected president. Many signs and speeches at the events echoed far-left slogans, calls for defunding ICE, and even comparisons to Nazi Germany—comments that veterans and conservatives alike found offensive and un-American.
Though organizers claimed to stand for “democracy,” their actions—blocking streets, chanting radical slogans, and calling for the dismantling of long-standing institutions—sent a different message: one of disruption, chaos, and a rejection of American values.
Despite the noise, President Trump remains focused on his mission. Just days before, he held a rally in Michigan where he promised to protect Medicare and Social Security, continue cutting waste, and put American citizens first. His administration dismissed the protests as a coordinated attempt by liberal donors and political operatives to slow down his momentum.
“This isn’t about helping workers,” one critic said. “It’s about creating unrest, undermining the president, and pushing a socialist wish list—all bankrolled by billionaire elites who are terrified of Trump’s success.”
As May Day passes, one thing is clear: the political divide is deepening, and the left’s willingness to mobilize under the pretense of “worker solidarity” is increasingly viewed as a vehicle for advancing a radical, billionaire-funded agenda that threatens the principles America was built on.
