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Protestors demand elected officials push back against President Trump and Elon Musk

Michiganders outside Grand Rapids' Gerald R. Ford Federal Building.
Breakaway Strategic Consulting
/
Breakaway Strategic Consulting
Michiganders outside Grand Rapids' Gerald R. Ford Federal Building.

At U.S. Congressional offices across Michigan, opposition to President Trump and Musk seizing control of federal departments and spending freezes.

At Grand Rapids’ Gerald R. Ford Federal Building, more than two dozen citizens gathered. They wanted to talk with U.S. Senator Gary Peters and U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten.

In a news release, organizers spelled out their goal: “Show overwhelming bipartisan public support for members of Congress to push back with every tool available to them against the hostile takeover of our Federal government by Elon Musk and DOGE.”

“There’s so many people right now who are deeply upset and are just looking for some communication from the people who we voted for.”

Genevieve Ingram is with Forest Hills Public Schools Community Action.

“We were initially told that we could come in in groups of seven, and then it was down to two and then we couldn’t come in at all. So, I’m pretty disappointed.”

Gwen Vogelzang did gain office access talking with a member of Rep. Scholten’s staff.

“They are trying to go behind the scenes and come up with plans that are going to be affective and helpful without saying too much, which feels terrifying that that’s the case right now.”

Rep. Scholten’s office is asking concerned citizens email their stories of impact.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.