Last week, protests around the country and in many places in the Upper Peninsula saw large groups gather to speak against the actions of the Trump administration alongside billionaire adviser Elon Musk.

In the month since Trump took the oath of office, massive changes have come to the United States, particularly due to Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, project.

One such protest took place in Marquette on Tuesday.

Jacquilyn Otis, an 80-year-old woman from Marquette, attributes her life experience to why she felt she had to protest; as well as her own life being affected by the Trump Administration and the recent federal layoffs.

“(After) 80 years of life, this is it, things are being taken away from us something more,” said Otis. “Many layoffs — my husband uses the VA (Veteran Affairs) system and we no longer get on a call there (a message) telling you to call this number if there is a crisis, because all those (crisis line) people have been let go.”

While it is understandable that many may want massive cuts to government funding, critics of Musk and Trump have said that the cuts are indiscriminate and causing negative impacts for many, including veterans.

Sarah Green, who attended a protest in Houghton, was displeased with what she believes to be a takedown of the federal government by an oligarchy that is eliminating jobs.

“We have mass firings of federal workers,” Green said. “There’s 9,000 federal workers in the First District of Michigan. About 30 percent of them are veterans. About 40 percent of them work for veteran agencies. We have Forest Service personnel being fired all over the place, including people who support the forests and landowners in Michigan.”

In response to much of the anxiety over the cuts to federal programs, Musk and Trump have both floated the idea of sending $5,000 stipends to taxpaying households across the country. But time will tell if those checks materialize and if they will help soothe the anxieties expressed during these protests.

These protests underscore anxiety and uncertainty felt throughout the country and regardless of who you voted for, listening to their voices may be beneficial.