One Year Later – Reckoning the Trump Wreck in America

WASHINGTON (01-20) – In acknowledging the unwarranted and chaotic realignment of the federal government in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025, a rally and protest took place at Farragut Square to “honor and acknowledge the freedoms, principles, public services and essential national values trashed by the Trump Regime since it took power a year ago.”

Fittingly, the action began at Farragut Square named for US Navy Admiral David Farragut, famous for his quote “Damn the torpedoes” who in defiance of overwhelming odds ordered his fleet to charge into the heavily mined Mobile Bay in a successful bid to defeat the enemy during the Civil War battle.

In that same spirit of prevailing, in this case against the “fascist Trump regime,” protesters began a day-long series of actions to show that “we are not going away,” by charging ahead to bring about change in realigning America presently from what is clearly “not normal” during their “One Year Later: A March of Reckoning.”

Susan, one of the organizers, addressed the crowd recalling how Trump had begun his first day in office by issuing a flurry of executive orders “designed to systematically erode our government, and the very democratic ideals this nation has stood for since 1776. In just one year, the extensive corruption, grift, lies and cruelty have touched every segment of our country.” As a result, she proclaimed that “We no longer enjoy the protections that once made us the envy of the world.”

She went on to say that “We have lost the confidence of our allies, trust in our leadership has eroded and the very freedom laid out in our Constitution, which we once took for granted, are now slipping away. We will not stand idly by as our nation falters. We reject the dismantling of democratic ideals, and we say emphatically NO to the corruption, the lies, and the total incompetence of this regime. Together we are here to remember and together we will resist!”

Before they began their march to, around the White House, and beyond after having been warned not to engage with counter protesters or those who may express their dislike for the protest, the first such person appeared and began admonishing the press for covering the event which the gentleman found offensive as the march inhibited his ability to walk to work.

He was soon followed by a second irritated citizen at the White House who repeatedly accused the participants of being professional activists, asking repeatedly how much they were being paid. The answer to his very vociferous and antagonistic inquiry was met by the participants responding in unison with “We hate Donald Trump for free.”

After marching around the expansive White House campus, the protest ended at the recently unveiled WWI Memorial at Pershing Park, where two other rallies and protests intersected, organized by Free DC, and the Women’s March.

The DC residents protest portion heard from speakers who are “…sick of this administration’s attacks on DC” and “for a Free DC.” Among their concerns are the deployment of National Guard troops in the streets, home rule, taxation without representation, and for long overdue statehood. “… our fight is more urgent than ever: ICE is kidnapping our neighbors, MPD is cooperating with federal agents, Congress has introduced bill after bill to overturn our local laws, and local elections on the horizon will require us to actively ensure their fairness and integrity.”

The nationwide “Walk out on Fascism” action also being held at the park with an overflowing crowd filling the memorial. This event was also taking place in cities and towns across the country, in Puerto Rico and Frankfurt, Germany. Many in attendance had walked out of their schools, left their place of work, withheld their services, or forewent any commerce. Participants collectively promised to support both national and local reforms by echoing the theme of “turning your back to fight against fascism.”

During the rally, several speakers affirmed their commitment of resisting the Trump regime’s reforming of our government into his autocratic view of America.

On speaker, Jackie Johnson, related how “This administration is openly using the tools of government as weapons of retaliation and control. Congress itself is being used as a weapon against the people of the District of Columbia.” She illustrated her point by saying that more than fifty bills relating to DC being able to govern itself were thwarted by Congress through a “concerted effort” to place local control in the hands of the executive branch in weakening local democracy and nationally to “silence communities across the country that stand in the way of an authoritarian agenda. The people who live in the district deserve the right to govern our own community.”

“Military forces should not be occupying the capital city or any city in the United States,” she continued. “Ignoring this occupation is dangerous. The National Guard deployed in DC until the end of this year…does not make DC any safer. Get the National Guard out of the nation’s capital.”

In addressing Congress, she said that “…rather than being manipulated, it needs to stand up and do its job.” She charged that both the House and the Senate to use the power of the purse and the Constitution to execute “real and true oversight of this increasingly lawless White House.”

She accused the White House of “using the nation’s capital as a testing ground, punishing critics, criminalizing poverty, and reshaping public safety according to political wind. The American people want Congress to show us they have some backbone. Nothing about government is working as it should, especially since January 20th of 2025.”

Organizers and participants expressed their continuing disgust for “more of our tax dollars [going] to endless wars abroad and more militarization here at home,” including, as reported by Politico, a compromise budget bill to be voted on this week for the fiscal year ending in September to fund Homeland Security at a cost of $10 billion.

While the protest was taking place, President Trump was conducting a rambling two-hour press conference at the White House before departing for Davos where he will attempt to coerce the EU into supporting his taking of Greenland, at the peril of his adding additional tariffs against any holdouts.

Report and photos by Phil Pasquini

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