Part of the crowd of 200 at the Nashville veterans’ protest, March 14, 2025. Photo for News & Letters by Artemis.

Nashville, Tenn.—On March 14, about 3,000 veterans and their allies demonstrated at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., against Trump and Musk’s cuts to veterans’ federal jobs, services, and benefits. It was part of a call to impeach Trump and remove him from office. The event was organized by Fourteenth Now, named for Section three of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which states a person engaged in insurrection after taking an oath of office to support the Constitution should be barred from holding office again. This organization is led by former Trump aide Jessica Denson, progressive comedian Cliff Cash, and retired General Mark Milley. Denson’s speech called upon Congress to recognize Trump’s current presidency as illegal.

CALL FOR NATIONWIDE DEMONSTRATIONS

Fourteenth Now used social media, encouraging veterans and allies to attend similar demonstrations in all 50 state capitals. Over 200 attended the Stand Up for Vets Rally in Nashville, Tenn. Representatives of Votes for Vets, Veterans for Peace, and Five Calls were present, offering more ways to take action.

Part of the crowd of 200 at the Nashville veterans’ protest, March 14, 2025. Photo for News & Letters by Artemis.

Veterans spoke to a TV reporter about Trump’s firing of 6,000 veterans in federal jobs, including 2,400 Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare workers. Trump plans to fire 83,000 VA workers nationally by the end of the year. Justin Julian stated, “It took decades for the VA to get to where it is now. I remember when it used to take six months just to get a doctor’s appointment. That just started to change, and now we are going back to that again!” Veterans expressed fear that proposed cuts to social security may leave them homeless. They denounced random cuts to the Veterans Caregiver Stipend program from Trump’s first term. Joseph Higgins said, “I’m gonna call out to all veterans out there–get involved!”

Part of the crowd of 200 at the Nashville veterans’ protest, March 14, 2025. Photo for News & Letters by Artemis.

They marched around the state capitol building for an hour, some in mobilized wheelchairs, most carrying homemade signs. They chanted: “Save, Protect and Respect our Vets” and “No More Cuts.” Signs read, “Less Staff + Less Care = Broken Promises to Veterans, We Deserve Better.” Attendees discussed Trump’s expression of contempt for vets, calling them “losers” while dodging the draft himself.

VETERANS SUPPORT UKRAINE, CONDEMN SEXISM, OBJECT TO MUSK

Part of the crowd of 200 at the Nashville veterans’ protest, March 14, 2025. Photo for News & Letters by Artemis.

There was also a sign made into a flag for Ukraine and a chant, “Hey, hey, Ukraine, Keep it Up, You’re Gonna Win!” Trump has recently ended Biden’s policy of sending weapons to Ukraine and renewed his own alliance with Putin’s Russia.

Many signs expressed Trump’s personal unfitness for office and the illegality of his second term. One read, “34 Felonies, 27 Women Sexually Assaulted, Google is Free, Science is Real, No Human is Illegal, Women’s Rights are Human Rights, If You Don’t Protect Us, Who Will Protect You? Make America THINK Again.”

They also objected to Trump’s appointment of unelected billionaire Elon Musk to head the lyingly-titled “Department of Government Efficiency.” This Department was newly created with the sole purpose of destroying government departments, programs, jobs, and benefits. They mentioned the irony of Trump and Musk’s anti-immigrant and white supremacist tendencies. Signs read “Deport Musk! Hands off Social Security and VA!” and “An Immigrant (Musk) is Stealing Our Jobs.” They chanted, “Tax the Rich!” and “The People United Will Never Be Defeated!”

Numerous signs warned of Trump’s threat to democracy: “We must Preserve Democracy for Those That Follow,” “The Road to Fascism is Lined with People Telling You to Stop Overreacting,” “All Enemies Foreign and DOMESTIC,” “Veterans Against Fascism,” “No Kings in the USA.” They chanted: “No More Nazis. Never Forget June 6, 1944! [D-Day]”

Veterans and their loved ones are aware that this administration views them as expendable. Many know the histories of fascism and civil conflict and have been warning about Christian nationalism and Project 2025. Others voted for Trump, then became disillusioned. This mass demonstration came together very quickly. It shows there is still hope that people working together can restore democracy.

—Veteran’s spouse