Trump-Stronghold The Villages in Florida Holds Large 'Hands Off!' Rally

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Apr 05, 2025 at 6:08 PM EDT | Updated Apr 05, 2025 at 6:12 PM EDT


Nearly 2,000 residents of the retirement community known as The Villages, 20 miles south of Ocala, Florida, joined thousands across the United States in a "Hands Off!" protest against President Donald Trump and one of his top advisers, billionaire Elon Musk, a spokesperson for the mobilizing coalition told Newsweek on Saturday.

Why It Matters

"Hands Off!" is a grassroots movement and coalition of hundreds of organizations and mobilizers who want the Trump administration, including Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to take their "hands off" of Social Security, federal jobs, Medicaid, and more. Trump said in a February Fox News interview that Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits, will not be "touched" unless "there's fraud or something."

The protests are taking place just days after Trump's global sweeping tariffs which have rattled global and domestic markets, with Wall Street tanking over the past few days, marking the worst days for the U.S. stock markets since 2020.

The Villages, located in Central Florida, is a Republican stronghold, making it notable that demonstrations are taking place there against the GOP president, who has deep ties to Florida through real estate investments and political allies. The Villages is primarily represented by Republican Representative Daniel Webster of Florida's 11th Congressional District. Newsweek has reached out to Webster's press team for comment via email on Saturday.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/trump-stronghold-villages-florida-holds-large-hands-off-rally-2055912

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I know The Villages had a big "golf cart rally" for Harris/Walz before the election but unfortunately it was obviously not enough to make a dent in flipping FL. But we'll have to see if we can start getting more to see the light.

[stollen]

1. With the GOP it's all about them personally

They don't have much going on in the sympathy dept.

[mwb970]

11. Most of them are "Christians".

That explains their casual cruelty and lack of empathy for others.

[AdamThePhantump]

13. I'm Christian

I have plenty of empathy for others.

[Bmoboy]

27. Christian does not mean good or moral

Generations of "Christian" acts have opposed most of the teachings of Jesus.

Slavery, oppression of women, child abuse, racism, feudalism, divine right of kings, rape of nature, genocide of folks with different creeds ... the list goes on.

Used to be good thing to espouse Christian beliefs. Not so much under Trump and his loyal evangelicals.

[TexasBushwhacker]

34. I'm absolutely fine with people who follow Jesus

and the values he promoted. But there are Christian churches in the US that have stopped teaching the Beatitudes (the Sermon on the Mount) because they consider it too "woke".

[AdamThePhantump]

35. But still...

I still consider myself Christian.

[róisín_dubh]

48. Yes...and it's not about you the is it?

So just stop.
I don’t get offended when folks of color talk about wypipo (however it’s spelled), because it doesn’t apply to me.
So chill. Be Christian if you’re not a judgy Christian. 🙄

[ClaudetteCC]

49. Christian in declaration or deed?

Slavery, oppression of women, child abuse, racism, feudalism, divine right of kings, rape of nature, genocide of folks with different creeds ... the list goes on.

There are descriptions of some of those things in the Bible. Have you found any passages that are proscriptive for any of those things?

When engaged in such acts by people self identifying as Christians are they acting in accordance with their faith or contrary to their faith?

[mwb970]

45. Yes. And they are "Christians". Big difference.

[AdamThePhantump]

46. Ok then

I’m not renouncing my faith just cause of what some bloke said on the internet.

[Scrivener7]

47. No one asked you to.

[AdamThePhantump]

50. Ok

Oh ok. Thanks!

[artemisia1]

44. No, they are Churchianity. There is a difference. /nt

[Deminpenn]

2. Might be different now that Trump and his R allies are creeping their

hands closer to the social security, medicare/medicaid cookie jar I'm sure a lot of those Villages residents rely on. They didn't care if other Americans got hurt, but now that it's them, different story.

[calimary]

5. I think you nailed it, Deminpenn.

“…but now that it’s them, different story.”

Tast of their own medicine. See how they like it.

[mwb970]

10. Like all right-wingers, they don't care about anything until it affects them.

The guy down the street? Screw him!

[GreenWave]

16. I'm afraid a couple of speeches, hundreds of lies and he'll hoodwink them again.

[Demovictory9]

3. Excellent

[snowybirdie]

4. Bought a home there

several years ago. It was an awful place! Very selfish people pursuing non stop supposed pleasure before they die. Left after six months. The gop better keep keep feeding them what they want or theyll turn on them. Glad we left. Left driving my red truck, driving too fast, windows open blasting the Stones! Yea!

[Crowman2009]

15. Looking at these supposed retirement states just makes me want to head home to Michigan.

A lot of times I miss the snow.

[GreenWave]

19. With global warming and rising sea levels those states will be under water soon enough.

the benchmark is about 280 feet above sea level.

But that's an average. And factor in erosion and further rising when Antarctica rids itself of two mile high ice and bounces up a bit.

[redstatebluegirl]

32. My husband and I are planning to retire

Back north close to my family. His family thinks we are nuts going back to cold weather but we are happy getting out of the bright red south. We love snow and hate hot weather. I also hate having MAGATS everywhere we go.

I am getting giddy at the thought of going home.

[yardwork]

21. Their lifestyle is funded by social security and investments.

They aren't going to have the money for nonstop fun if Trump tanks everything.

[RainCaster]

24. "you can't always get what you want"

But if you try some time, you just might find, you get what you need.

[CaptainTruth]

6. The crowd was huge! I saw video, unbelievable.

The political pendulum is swinging, Trump & Musk have given it a hard push in our direction.

Now we need to capitalize on the opportunity!

[Bengus81]

7. Hell...it's right in P25 to kill SS that Harris and Walz pounded on for months last summer

But...those MAGA morons voted for Trump again just knowing that living in Florida they'd be doubly protected.

Now look at them....

[Katinfl]

8. Just moved from FL after 20 years there

Not far from The Villages. Yes, more dems than ever are there now and they are quite vocal but it will never change. Every election we would read about how the dems are gaining momentum and maybe, just maybe, will be a force. And each time we were disappointed. I am afraid FL is lost for good. How else can one explain electing Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis each twice? The Villages put on a good show but the results are always the same.

[NCDem47]

28. Spot on.

Florida is now NOWHERE near purplish. Absolutely Ruby Red. State Republicans have been in charge so long that they've totally rigged the system to favor Rs and supress Ds.

For statewide elections, Dems have fallen so far behind. It's become comical when there's even a faint, faint hint that a Dem may have a shot...only to by buried by the vote and never, ever to be heard from again.

I believe we're also seeing erosion at City Council and County Boards in what were once blue, urban enclaves. Registered party affiliations reflect the shift. Although, I DO believe there are Dems hiding behind their supposed "Indpendent" status which might put us further ahead than everyone thinks.

The statewide shift began back with Jeb Bush in 1999, but Trump 1.0 and COVID deniers just supercharged everything flooding MAGATS from all over the country and world here.

[DonCoquixote]

30. Jeb tried but

Trump moving here was what sealed it. He has made this state hos own, and you cane see it when people who are Bush republicans get thrown into the meat grinder like everyone else

[DonCoquixote]

29. FLORIDA

I s somewhere that was always the refuge for people whose lives went south up north, myself included. However, the fact is that Native Floridians have been bitter about the fact they are the minority, never mind the fact that a lot of what they are nostalgic for are the days of Sundown towns, and the Mulberry tree. As far as the new folks, they combine the worst of the North , as in "I paid to educate my kids up north" to the new rednecks who think they are meaner than the old ones "No way they would have let us give up Jim Crow". The less polite thing is to admit that amongst all these "liberals sipping cappuccinos" at Starbucks. there are a lot of people who just won't vote for Harris, you know///Why you ask? "well I am not a bigot mind you, but I do not like Harris (wink wink)" or, I need to think of the Children whose teachers I do not trust (wink wink)"

It is the sort of sh** that means if I hit the lotto I plan to move far away. It is sad, because Florida could have had the best of the North and South, Michelin star restaurant and great farms, but they let themselves got conned by those who know their fortunes does not rely on geography: modern day pirates and privateers.

[mwb970]

9. trump's worshipers are slowly leaving him as he ruins their lives.

S-L-O-W-L-Y.

[quitnesset]

12. They will all run back

After tRump gets his big beautiful budget bill passed and their social security is declared non taxable. They won’t care what happens as long as their benefits are intact and tax free.

[radical noodle]

23. Most benefits are not tax free for Villagers

Unless you're talking about state taxes which, in addition to the weather, is what drives so many retirees to live in Florida.

[True Blue American]

14. POOP!

AKA Pissed off old people!

[AdamThePhantump]

17. Lolz

That's funny! Thanks for the laugh!

[travelingthrulife]

18. I'm hoping the Cuban immigrants finally get a clue since he is ICING them too.

[DonCoquixote]

31. not with Rubio

Even though Elon hates him, Rubio knows his firing would piss of Miami

[lark]

22. About 1000 people showed up in Jax. FL. for a wonderful event.

Glad the Villages had a good showing too and hoping everywhere people were making their voices heard.

[radical noodle]

25. Everyone is always so surprised about The Villages

but they have the largest Democratic Club in the state, and they're very active. The last I heard, they had about 1000 paid members and many more that attend occasional events.

I imagine there are some disgruntled Republicans there now, too.

[Onthefly]

26. My former neighbor and relative lives at the Villages

She says they love it because there are “no brown people.” They are Trumpers.

[EnergizedLib]

33. And people think racism hasn't played a part in this?

If you vote for people who will hurt others, it’s only a matter of time before they hurt you, too.

[AkFemDem]

36. Ironically the only couple I know there

Is biracial, one black one white, so there are definitely POC there but also they are a vast minority I’d guess and I also KNOW they are both Trumpsters!

[ProudMNDemocrat]

37. Those who live in The Villages are......

Retirees who rely heavily on earned pensions, Social Security, their retirement investments, and other 401k plans.

I suspect most of them will have a change of heart when a good portion of their wealth goes down the toilet, among other things.

[Jit423]

38. Most of these addled-brain folks still voted for him in 2024. And we know why. nt

[Jacson6]

39. I'm sure they have seen their investments in stocks collapse by thousands of dollars

But Look at the bright side the wealthy are all getting a huge tax cut!

MAGA!

[mcar]

40. The Villages has one of the largest Democratic clubs in the state

It also has a large and active Democratic Women's Club. They are still grossly outnumbered, of course.

[Demobrat]

41. They didn't see the light.

They saw their IRA balances plummeting. Show them some footage of brown janitors being hauled out of office towers and they will be right back to cheering. A nice big fat well televised raid will be all it takes.

[Deep State Witch]

42. They're Messing with Social Security

Seniors take that as a personal attack.

[mdbl]

43. The Villages Idiots that voted for Dump

are obviously morons.

[CountAllVotes]

51. Not everyone living there is a puke

My cousin lives there with his wife who just loves it.

He hates it.

Retired Federal employee.

[orleans]

52. here's a few pics at this link

https://www.villages-news.com/2025/04/05/villagers-line-morse-boulevard-to-join-in-nationwide-hands-off-protest/