Workers vs. Billionaires Across America

While Labor Day was a moment for barbecuing and family leisure, many took to the streets to protest the Trump administration and the placement of billionaires in political positions.

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Thousands of people turned out in cities across the U.S. on Monday to protest Trump and billionaires on Labor Day. May Day Strong, a coalition of dozens of labor and advocacy groups, organized more than 1,000 protests and other events in over 900 cities under the banner “Workers over Billionaires.” Organizers told The Hill they expected “several hundred thousand people” at events nationwide.

Protests sprang up across the country, from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., San Diego, and cities across Florida and Idaho, targeting what critics view as the excessive influence of business leaders and corporations during Trump’s second term. The movement aimed to realign Labor Day with its roots in honoring working people, contrasting sharply with what protesters called a billionaire‑friendly agenda.

Chicago saw a particularly intense demonstration where between 5,000 and 10,000 protesters condemned threats to deploy the National Guard and federal immigration agents. They argued that such actions would escalate violence rather than improve safety, and Chicago’s mayor pledged the city would resist federal overreach.

In San Diego, Waterfront Park became a hub for thousands, estimated at 2,000 to 3,000, calling for investment in housing, healthcare, schools, and climate action rather than corporate profits. Meanwhile, in Midland, Michigan, a peaceful “Workers Over Billionaires” rally on the courthouse steps underscored that “workers—not billionaires—are the backbone of America,” according to an organizer.

On one of the nation’s most symbolic holidays for labor, the protest movement expanded Labor Day into a statement: working families deserve more than symbolic remembrance; they demand real power and investment.