logo
Trump, Elon Musk protests: Florida has 45 in one day, including some near Mar-a-Lago

Trump, Elon Musk protests: Florida has 45 in one day, including some near Mar-a-Lago

Yahoo03-04-2025
President Donald Trump heads back home the same weekend as nationwide protests are planned against him and Elon Musk − including some down the road from his private club, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida.
According to USA TODAY, there are more than 1,000 protests against Trump and Musk scheduled for Saturday, April 5, 2025. Trump is expected to return to Florida on Thursday, April 3, with trips to three of his golf courses high on the agenda.
Many of these Hands Off Mass Mobilization rallies have "Hands Off!" plus the name of the city and state and "fight back!" in their titles. They're happening April 5, days after Trump signed his Liberation Day executive order (April 2).
Welcome home, Trump? Fans and foes taunt each other along the president's route to Mar-a-Lago, Florida
Here's a list of where the Hands Off Mass Mobilization rallies are in Florida on Saturday, April 5, 2025, and details about the "anti Donald Trump-Elon Musk" rallies.
Hands Off is the title, filter and group behind the "mass mobilization" nationwide rallies and protests aimed at Donald Trump and Elon Musk, SpaceX and Tesla CEO who is leading the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE for short.
Most of the Hands Off Fight Back rallies on Saturday, April 5, 2025, have this message online: "Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them. We are fighting back! They're taking everything they can get their hands on — our health care, our data, our jobs, our services — and daring the world to stop them. This is a crisis, and the time to act is now. On Saturday, April 5th, we're taking to the streets to fight back with a clear message: Hands off!
"This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.
"A core principle behind all Hands Off! events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values. Check out handsoff2025.com for more information."
Why are people protesting Donald Trump and Elon Musk at Hands Off rallies? Topics and signs will likely include:
Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, jobs, abortion, fair elections, personal data, public lands, veteran services, cancer research, NATO, consumer protections,clean air, clean energy, schools, libraries, free speech, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants, and courts, the rally sight states.
The theme of the "fight back," nonviolent, peaceful protest rallies are, "We must stop Trump and Musk's illegal, billionaire power grab."
According to the Hands Off Mass Mobilization website, handsoff2025.com, Florida will host 45 rallies − including at least one in Spanish − on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at various times and locations. Below is a list in alphabetical order.
Boca Raton, Florida: Hands Off! Boca Raton Indivisible Fights Back rally will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at City Hall, 201 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, near the Boca Raton Museum of Art, Brightline Boca Raton Station and Ichiyami Buffet and Sushi.
Bradenton, Florida: Hands Off! Bradenton Fights Back rally will be from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2025, at a private address. Those interested can sign up at handsoff2025.com.
Brooksville, Florida: Hands Off! Brooksville Fights Back rally will be from 10 a.m. to noon EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the Hernando County Government Center, historic Hernando County Courthouse, 20 N. Main St., Brooksville, near the Hernando Tax Collector and Brooksville Unique Boutique.
Cape Coral, Florida: Hands Off! SWFL Rise Against Corruption rally will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, in front of Rep. Byron Donald's office, 1039 SE 9th Ave., Cape Coral, near the Lee County Tax Collector office and Cape Coral Police Department. Notes from the organizer: "Drive to the protest: Arrive at 10 a.m. to participate in a peaceful 'drive in' protest. ... Bring your signs. RSVP at save-our-democracy.com."
Clearwater, Florida: Indivisible North Pinellas Stand Out rally will be from 4 to 6 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at State Road 580 and McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater, near Tate Music and Repair and Countryside High School.
Clermont, Florida:
Hands Off! Clermont, Florida Fights Back rally will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Center Lake Park Clermont, 8th Street and West Broome Street in Clermont. near Living Hope Church and Center Lake.
Hands Off! Lake County Fights Back rally will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 685 W. Montrose St., Clermont, near Clermont Brewing Co., Pepe's Cantina Clermont and historic downtown Clermont.
Cocoa, Florida: Hands Off! Brevard County Fights Back will be from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025 at U.S. 1 and State Road 520, Cocoa (near Cocoa Village).
Daytona Beach, Florida: Hands Off! Daytona Beach Fights Back rally will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at City Hall, 301 S. Ridgewood Ave., Daytona Beach, near Zen Bistro and Golden Magnolia Marine Resort.
DeLand, Florida: Hands Off! [DeLand] Fights Back rally will be from 10 a.m. to noon EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at U.S. 44 and South Woodland Boulevard, near Boston Coffeehouse, Tony's New York Pizza and the Table Restaurant.
Fort Myers, Florida: Hands Off! Fort Myers Fights Back rally will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 13220 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers, near near Bell Tower and Dave and Buster's.
Gainesville, Florida: Hands Off! Gainesville Fights Back rally will be from noon to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Depot Park on Southeast Depot Avenue and Main Street in Gainesville, near Newberry Animal Hospital and HER Academy.
Gulfport, Florida: Hands Off! Gulfport Florida rally will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, in front of Gulfport Casino, 5500 Gulfport Blvd. South, Gulfport, near Habana Cafe and Clymer Park.
Hollywood, Florida: Hands Off! Broward County, Florida, Fights Back rally, in partnership with 50501 South Florida, will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Young Circle Park, 1733 E. Young Circle, Hollywood, near Publix, Twin Peaks and the Tipsy Boar.
Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida: Hands Off! Duval County Fights Back rally will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at a private address. Those interested can sign up at handsoff2025.com.
The Keys, Key Largo, Florida: Hands Off! Key Largo Fights Back rally will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Murray Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, near the Catch Restaurant and Bar and Dolphins Plus Bayside.
Key West, Florida: Hands Off! Key West Fights Back rally will be from 11 a.m. to noon EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at a private address. Those interested can sign up at handsoff2025.com. Notes from the organizer: "Assembly is on the sidewalk in front of the national weather service."
Lakeland, Polk County, Florida (one protest in Spanish and English):
No toquen! El Condado Polk continua con la lucha en Florida! en español, from 1 to 3 p.m. EDT sabado, 5 de abril. Ubicacion: La direccion de este evento es privada. Inscribase para obtener mas informacion, handsoff2025.com.
Hands Off! Polk County Fights Back rally will be from 1 to 3 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at a private address. Those interested can sign up at handsoff2025.com.
Leesburg, Florida: Hands Off! Leesburg Fights Back rally will be from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Lake-Sumter State College, 9501 U.S. 441, Leesburg, on College Drive sidewalk near Outback Steakhouse, Lowe's Home Improvement and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.
Marathon, Florida: Hands Off! Marathon, Fl Fights Back rally will be from 11 a.m. to noon EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the plaza formerly anchored by Kmart, 5561 Overseas Highway, Marathon, near Crane Point Hammock, Winn-Dixie and Publix.
Miami, Florida: Hands Off! Miami Fights Back rally will be from noon to 3 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Torch of Friendship, 301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, near Bayside Marketplace and La Industria Bakery and Cafe.
Naples, Florida: Hands Off! Collier County Fights Back rally will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Collier County Courthouse, 3315 Tamiami Trail East, Naples, near Walmart and the Collier Museum at Government Center.
New Port Richey, Florida: Hands Off! West Side Pasco County Fights Back rally will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Citizens Drive and Little Road in New Port Richey, near Pasco County Tax Collector and Boulevard Family Restaurant.
Ocala, Florida: Hands Off! The Villages (sic) Fights Back rally will be from noon to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Ocala Downtown Square, 1 SE Broadway St., Ocala, near Big Hammock Brewery and Bites and Harry's Seafood, Bar and Grille.
Orlando, Florida: Hands Off! Orlando Fights Back rally will be from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, near Church Street and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
Palatka, Putnam County, Florida: Hands Off! Palatka (Putnam County) Fights Back rally will be from noon to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Putnam County Courthouse, 410 St. Johns Ave., Palatka, near Angel's Dining Car and Lending Bear.
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida: Hands Off! Palm Beach County Fights Back rally will be from 10 a.m. to noon EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Campus Drive and PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens near Barnes and Noble and Palm Beach County Library.
Palm Coast, Florida: Hands Off! Palm Coast Fights Back rally will be from 11 a.m. to noon EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Island Walk Shopping Center on Palm Coast Parkway Northeast in Palm Coast, near Target, Culver's and Olive Garden Italian Restaurant.
Port Charlotte, Florida: Hands Off! SW Florida Fights Back rally will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at U.S. 41 and Murdock Circle in Port Charlotte, near Publix and LongHorn Steakhouse.
Port St. Lucie, Florida: People's Rally (Hands Off Port St. Lucie) will be from 4 to 6 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at City Hall, 121 S.W. Port St. Lucie Blvd., Building A, Port St. Lucie, near Cafe 772 Cantina and Grill, Port St. Lucie Police Department and Port St. Lucie Community Center.
Sanford, Florida: Hands Off! Sanford Fights Back rally will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2025, at a private address. Those interested can sign up at handsoff2025.com.
Sarasota, Florida: Rally and March at the Bayfront - National Day of Action - Silence is not an option! rally will be from 2 to 5 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Bayfront Park, 5 Bayfront Drive, Sarasota, near O'Leary's Tiki Bar and Grill and Dolphin Fountain.
Sarasota County, Florida: Hands Off! Manatee Fights Back rally will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at University Town Center Mall at North Cattlemen Road and University Parkway in Sarasota County, near Lakewood Ranch Medical Center and the Home Depot.
Sebring, Florida: Hands Off! Sebring, Florida Fights Back rally will be at 10 a.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Highlands County Democratic Party headquarters, 4216 Sebring Parkway, Sebring, near Publix, Walmart and Winn-Dixie. This rally has accessible restrooms. Notes from the organizer: Bring your own sign or come early and make signs from 10 to 11 a.m. EDT.
St. Augustine, Florida: Hands Off! Saint Augustine Fights Back rally will be from 10 a.m. to noon EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at a private address. Those interested can sign up at handsoff2025.com.
St. Johns, St. Johns County, Florida: Hands Off! St. Johns Fights Back rally will be from noon to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at U.S. 1 and Race Track Road, St. Johns County, near Lanjie Hot Pot and BBQ, Primo Water Exchange, and K9s for Warriors Davis Family Mega Kennel.
St. Petersburg, Florida: Women Rise Up St. Pete "Hand Off!" rally will be from noon to 1 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, in St. Petersburg (registration encouraged for the location of the intersection, however, a map does show a location near St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market and Bayshore Drive Southeast). Notes from the organizer: "Join Pinellas NOW (National Organization for Women) and allied organizations, including Indivisible FL-13, at your selected downtown St. Pete intersection. We will be sign-waving and chanting at 11 intersections. ... We want to make sure to voice our resistance to the six-week abortion ban imposed on Florida women by the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis. Join us to defend our rights, our bodies, and our future. No permission needed — just show up and bring others."
Stuart, Florida: Hands Off! Stuart Fights Back rally will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart near Flagler Park and Hudsons on the River.
Tallahassee, Florida:
Hands Off - the People's Veto Day in Tallahassee, Florida, rally will be from noon to 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at a private address. Those interested can sign up at handsoff2025.com. Notes from the organizer: "We will meet at the Florida Historic Capitol. Please look for the Indivisible sign and table to check in and get important information on moving forward. Parking may be an issue so come early and plan accordingly."
Indivisible Big Bend FL working with local movements, Tallahassee, rally will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the Florida State Capitol, 400 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, near Miller's Ale House and Museum of Florida History. Notes from the organizer: Indivisible Big Bend FL will collaborate with Rising Voices Collective. "An outside event, it is mostly wheelchair accessible at the Capitol. However, downtown Tallahassee is hilly and there is little nearby parking."
Tampa, Florida: Hands Off! Tampa Fights Back rally will be from 3 to 6 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at City Hall, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, near the Hilton Tampa Downtown and Tampa Theatre.
Vero Beach, Florida: Hands Off! Vero Beach Fl Fights Back rally will be from noon to 1 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at State Road 60 and 58th Avenue in West Vero Corridor, near Applebee's Grill and Bar, Sam's Club, Target and Walmart.
The Villages, Florida: Hands Off! The Villages, Fl Fights Back rally will be from 1 to 3:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 816 Old Camp Road, the Villages, near Old Mill Playhouse Epic Threatres of the Villages and Vascular Vein Centers.
Wesley Chapel, Florida: Hands Off! East/Central Pasco Fights Back rally will be from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at CVS near Old Pasco Road and Wesley Chapel Boulevard in Wesley Chapel near Steak 'n Shake and Moschella's Italian Eatery and Market.
West Palm Beach, Florida: Hands Off! Palm Beach Fights Back rally will be from 3 to 5 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Palm Beach County Courthouse, 205 N. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, near Clematis Street, Elisabetta's Ristorante and West Palm Beach GreenMarket.
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Elon Musk, Trump protest times in Florida: From Pensacola to Key West
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Donald Trump Suffers Double Legal Deportation Setback Within Hours
Donald Trump Suffers Double Legal Deportation Setback Within Hours

Newsweek

time12 minutes ago

  • Newsweek

Donald Trump Suffers Double Legal Deportation Setback Within Hours

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Trump administration suffered two deportation-related legal defeats in New York and Virginia on Tuesday. A New York judge blocked a proposal to strip thousands of Haitian migrants of legal protections, and judges in Virginia rejected a bid to place Georgetown University academic Badar Khan Suri into immigration detention for a second time. Why It Matters President Donald Trump has made cracking down on immigration a policy priority for his second administration, deporting migrants living in the U.S. illegally and revoking the temporary protected status of migrants residing in the U.S. legally. The president recently said there were no illegal crossings into the U.S. via its southern border in May. As Republicans control the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, the courts have become one of the main impediments to the Trump administration's decisions. What To Know On Tuesday, a court blocked an attempt by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to remove temporary protected status, which allows eligible nationals to live and work in the U.S., from hundreds of thousands of Haitian migrants. The Eastern District of New York's Judge Brian Cogan ruled that Noem did "not have statutory or inherent authority" to remove the protections, which the Biden administration extended to February 2026. Cogan said Noem would have to wait on the "statutorily prescribed procedures Congress has enacted," preventing her from ending the protections before February. The Obama administration first issued temporary protected status for Haitian migrants in 2010 and repeatedly extended the protections. The first Trump administration attempted to end the designation in 2017, but court delays meant nothing happened until Biden took office in 2021 and continued the status. President Donald Trump speaking with reporters on Air Force One on July 1. President Donald Trump speaking with reporters on Air Force One on July 1. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/GETTY Haiti descended into anarchy following the assassination of its president in 2021, and large swaths of the country are controlled by feuding criminal gangs. During a presidential election debate in September, Trump repeated the false claim that Haitian migrants were stealing and eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio, which local authorities denied. In a 2-1 ruling on Tuesday, judges on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia also rejected the Trump administration's attempt to take Khan Suri into immigration custody for a second time, following his initial arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in March. Khan Suri was held at a Texas detention facility, but U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ordered his release in May. In their majority decision, Judges James Wynn and DeAndrea Gist Benjamin said taking Khan Suri into detention again would be a violation of habeas corpus, which prevents arrests without due legal process. The Department of Homeland Security said that while at Georgetown, Khan Suri was involved in "spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media." Khan Suri has strongly denied these claims. What People Are Saying Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, told Newsweek: "This ruling delays justice and seeks to kneecap the President's constitutionally vested powers under Article II [of the Constitution]. Haiti's TPS was granted following an earthquake that took place over 15 years ago, it was never intended to be a de facto asylum program, yet that's how previous administrations have used it for decades. The Trump administration is restoring integrity to our immigration system to keep our homeland and its people safe, and we expect a higher court to vindicate us in this. We have the law, the facts, and common sense on our side." Judges James Wynn and DeAndrea Gist Benjamin wrote in their majority opinion in Badar Khan Suri's case: "The government chose to move Suri without informing his wife or attorney of his location or custodian. If not for our conclusion that jurisdiction lies in the Eastern District of Virginia, that deliberate choice would have deprived the petitioner of any meaningful opportunity to contest his detention prior to removal to a distant jurisdiction." Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III wrote in dissent: "The district court found that he presents neither a danger to the community nor a risk of flight, which are both important considerations in rulings on pretrial release and bond pending appeal. Yet the government's jurisdictional arguments with regard to the INA [Immigration and Nationality Act] are not without considerable force." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will appeal either or both of Tuesday's rulings. On June 27, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling curbing the power of lower courts to obstruct the Trump administration's policy in response to a birthright citizenship case.

Trump's Gaza ceasefire push yet to gain firm backing from Israel or Hamas, as more aid-seekers killed in Gaza
Trump's Gaza ceasefire push yet to gain firm backing from Israel or Hamas, as more aid-seekers killed in Gaza

CBS News

time17 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Trump's Gaza ceasefire push yet to gain firm backing from Israel or Hamas, as more aid-seekers killed in Gaza

It appeared on Wednesday that President Trump likely still has some deal-making to do before he can claim to have brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to end the devastating war in Gaza. Mr. Trump said in a Tuesday evening social media post that Israel had "agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize" a 60-day ceasefire, and he called on Hamas to accept the deal, warning the U.S.- and Israeli-designated terrorist group that "it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE." Hamas has yet to formally respond to the latest proposed peace deal, and Israeli sources told CBS News on Wednesday that while there was strong backing in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet for the terms in the proposal, Israel was not committing to it yet, stressing that the government had voiced its backing to U.S. officials for a proposed framework for a ceasefire deal, not a final agreement. Mr. Trump didn't offer any details of the proposed deal in his post on Tuesday evening, but he said that Qatar and Egypt — which have been key partners to the U.S. as it attempts to broker an agreement to end the nearly two-year war — would "deliver this final proposal." Palestinians inspect the damage at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike that hit a tent sheltering displaced people in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, July 2, 2025. Hatem Khaled/REUTERS Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, in a post on social media Wednesday, said there was "a great majority in the government and also among the people for a framework to release hostages. If there is an opportunity to do so — we must not miss it!" But that claim of cohesion may belie a potentially significant hurdle for Netanyahu as he prepares to head back to Washington this weekend to meet with Mr. Trump, who's made it clear he wants to see a deal to end the war within days. Numerous Israeli media outlets reported Wednesday that one of the most far-right members of Netanyahu's cabinet, Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, had called on far-right nationalist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in blocking the government's approval of the ceasefire deal. Neither Smotrich nor Ben-Gvir confirmed any discussion about blocking the agreement, but in a short post on social media, Ben-Gvir said the war in Gaza should not end "a moment before defeating Hamas." Both men have been vocal in rejecting peace deals with Hamas, insisting that the group must be completely destroyed, not negotiated with. Yair Golan, leader of the Israeli opposition Democrats party, accused Smotrich and Ben-Gvir in a social media post of "leading a bloc to prevent the return of the hostages." He said they "do not deserve to sit around the government table. And whoever continues to allow them to sit there does not deserve to lead Israel for even one more day." While the real prospects of Israel and Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire in the short time frame that Mr. Trump is hoping for remained unclear, even the suggestion that peace could be looming may raise hopes for Gazans who risk their lives every day just to line up lining up for food. Gaza Humanitarian Foundation responds to criticism The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health says at least 640 civilians have been shot to death in recent weeks trying to access desperately needed humanitarian supplies, including more than 400 at distribution sites run by the heavily criticized U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Since it began operating in the war-torn enclave on May 26, GHF has faced near daily claims of aid-seekers being killed by Israeli forces as they try to reach its four hubs in Gaza. Earlier this week, more than 170 humanitarian groups called for the opaquely run organization — which has never revealed its funding or management structure — to be disbanded and all aid efforts in Gaza to be reorganized under the long-established United Nations-led system. Those international humanitarian efforts have been largely blocked by Israel since March. The Israeli military says it works with the GHF to enable aid distribution without the risk of food and other goods being stolen by Hamas. The Trump administration has backed that reasoning and refused to support other means of food dispersal in Gaza, instead calling on other nations and institutions to work with the GHF, which replaced some 400 international aid distribution points in the Palestinian territory with just four of its hubs. Those hubs are run by armed U.S. private security contractors, and the Israeli miliary controls access to them. All established humanitarian agencies have refused to work with the GHF, saying it forces Palestinians to dislocate and trek for miles to reach its hubs and that it violates basic humanitarian principles, but the Trump administration announced late last week its first public support for the group: $30 million in funding. The State Department wouldn't say, when that funding was announced, if the funds had already been transferred to GHF, or which U.S. government account they would come from. The GHF has declined to respond to multiple questions from CBS News about its connections with the U.S. and Israeli governments and its funding, and it had, until this week, also declined to be interviewed by CBS News about its operations. On Tuesday, however, the GHF's director, American evangelical reverend Johnnie Moore, a former adviser to President Trump on religious matters, agreed to an interview via Zoom. Rev. Johnnie Moore, then the spokesman for the Trump evangelical advisory board, is seen in front of the Trump International Hotel, Dec. 4, 2017, in Washington, D.C. Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Our first question was about the reports CBS News has received since GHF began its operations, directly from doctors and eyewitnesses, that Israeli soldiers have repeatedly opened fire on unarmed civilians trying to reach its aid hubs. "I do not want to diminish these reports, but we can't control what happens outside our distribution sites," Moore told CBS News. Asked how many more people would die before GHF changed the way it operates, Moore called the framing of the question "inappropriate," and said the group's "whole reason for existing is to give food to these people so they can live." He repeated his previous calls — and those of the White House — for the United Nations and its various humanitarian agencies to join GHF's efforts in Gaza. "We've said again and again to the U.N., to the WFP (World Food Program), join us in this effort," Moore said, before asking CBS News' correspondent, "with respect, why don't you join us? I'm asking you to help us run the operation if you think there is a better way to do this." Asked how GHF has been able to verify who exactly receives the aid it provides on the ground — which Moore has stressed does not reach Hamas — the reverend responded with a question: "Do you have anything positive to say about what we are doing?" A youth carries an empty box of relief supplies from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as displaced Palestinians walk near a food distribution center run by the U.S.-backed organization in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 1, 2025. AFP via Getty "Do you think it is acceptable that people die every day trying to access aid? Is there not a better way to do this?" CBS News asked again. "We have made a decision that it is worth working in a war zone," Moore said, "as deadly as it is, because Gazans deserve food." Moore would not respond to questions about how GHF operates or who funds the organization, beside the $30 million contribution announced this week by the Trump administration.

House convenes to take up Trump's "big, beautiful bill" after Senate passage
House convenes to take up Trump's "big, beautiful bill" after Senate passage

CBS News

time23 minutes ago

  • CBS News

House convenes to take up Trump's "big, beautiful bill" after Senate passage

Johnson says Senate's budget bill changes "went a little further than many of us would've preferred" Washington — The House convened Wednesday to take up President Trump's Senate-passed massive domestic policy bill, to approve changes to the legislation ahead of a July 4 deadline to get the bill to the president's desk for his signature. The House Rules Committee advanced the Senate's changes to the bill overnight, setting it up for a possible dramatic floor vote in the coming hours. House Republicans are forging ahead quickly on the signature legislation of Mr. Trump's second-term agenda, which includes ramped-up spending for border security, defense and energy production and extends trillions of dollars in tax cuts, partially offset by substantial cuts to health care and nutrition programs. The House passed an earlier version of the bill in May. The process kicked off with consideration by the House Rules Committee, before debate and a key procedural vote expected Wednesday that would set up the measure for final passage. House Democrats dragged out the process on the Rules Committee overnight and early into the morning Wednesday by submitting hundreds of amendments to be debated in the committee, similar to the way Senate Democrats delayed final passage in the upper chamber by forcing the entire bill to be read on the floor and votes on dozens of amendments. "All legislative tools and options are on the table," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, warned after the Senate vote Tuesday. Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said of their strategy that "the longer this bill in the ether, the more unpopular it becomes." Democrats weren't alone in their resistance to the revised bill. GOP Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Chip Roy of Texas joined Democrats on the panel to oppose the rule, as a handful of hardline conservatives said they'd reject the Senate's changes. "What the Senate did is unconscionable," Norman said. "I'll vote against it here and I'll vote against it on the floor until we get it right." As Friday's deadline quickly approaches, it's still unclear if House Republicans have enough support to get it over the finish line as members continue to voice their discontent with pieces of the tax and spending package that squeaked through the Senate on Tuesday. Several members on both sides of the aisle had their flights canceled or delayed by bad weather as they raced back to Washington for the vote, adding another layer of doubt around the bill's passage. Republicans can only afford three defections, if all members are present and voting. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has spent weeks pleading with his Senate counterparts not to make any major changes to the version of the bill that passed the lower chamber by a single vote in May. He said the Senate bill's changes "went a little further than many of us would've preferred." The Senate-passed bill includes steeper Medicaid cuts, a higher increase in the debt limit and differences with the House bill's green energy subsidies and the state and local tax deduction. Other controversial provisions that faced pushback in both chambers, including the sale of public lands in nearly a dozen states, a 10-year moratorium on states regulating artificial intelligence and an excise tax on the renewable energy industry were stripped from the Senate bill before heading back to the House. Johnson said Tuesday night he was having "lots of discussion with lots of members about lots of ideas" as several potential holdouts called for the bill to be reverted to the House-passed version. GOP leaders, however, said the House would vote on the Senate bill "as-is." "It's important to recognize that much of what the House included in H.R. 1 when we initially passed it is still included," said Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, who chairs the Rules Committee. Meanwhile, the White House was expected to continue to pressure House Republicans to get the bill across the finish line. In a Truth Social post Wednesday morning, Mr. Trump urged the GOP to get the bill done, saying to his party, "don't let the Radical Left Democrats push you around." "We've got all the cards, and we are going to use them," he said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store