North American Women Mayors News

Women Mayors reporting from North America

> A progressive woman wins in conservative Texas

> Trump attacks California governor and LA Mayor

> Mexico elects women mayors

> Female candidates for Mayor of Detroit

Gina Ortiz Jones, a progressive Democrat, won the San Antonio mayoral election in Republican Texas

USA / SAN ANTONIO

A progressive, openly gay woman wins the San Antonio mayoral race

June 2025: With the election of Gina Ortiz Jones as San Antonio’s (Population: 1.5 million) new mayor, the city has maintained its reputation as a progressive Democrat stronghold in Texas, a conservative Republican state. The mayor-elect, who served as undersecretary of the Air Force in the Joe Biden administration, is a Filipino-American and belongs to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. She was raised by a single mother and is openly gay. “I was raised by a single mom, and I went on to serve our country. And I think that is very much a San Antonio story," she said.

Ortiz Jones beat Rolando Pablos, a Mexican immigrant and former Texas secretary of state who was backed by Governor Greg Abbott, a conservative Republican. “San Antonio showed up and showed out,” said the newly elected mayor. “We reminded our opponent that our city is about compassion and it’s about leading with everybody in mind.”

During the election campaign, Ortiz Jones said that her focus will be on tackling poverty in San Antonio, where approximately 20 per cent of the population has lived below the poverty line for the last four decades. She campaigned on her plans to expand early-childhood education to more children and increase affordable housing, and work programmes for unskilled workers.

Jones received an Air Force scholarship to study at Boston University in 1999. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in East Asian studies and economics and a master’s degree in economics in 2003. In the subsequent years, she earned postgraduate degrees from the University of Kansas and the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies. With an extensive career in national security and financial services, Jones has served as an intelligence officer, senior strategic planner, senior advisor, and director of investment in several federal agencies.

USA / LOS ANGELES PROTESTS

US President and California’s Governor at loggerheads over deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles

June 2025: The administration of Donald Trump has been accused of declaring war on California after the US President ordered the National Guard to quell the protests in Los Angeles. The deployment of California National Guard troops came as authorities sought to contain escalating protests in Los Angeles over President Trump's immigration crackdown. The third day of demonstrations saw federal agents clash with protesters across the city, as tensions flared over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and detentions of undocumented immigrants.

California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticised President Trump, accusing him of fuelling unrest by deploying federal troops without local consent. "Let's be clear: Local law enforcement did not require assistance. Yet, Trump sent troops anyway, with the intent to create chaos and violence. He succeeded. Now, the situation is destabilised, and additional law enforcement is needed to clean up the mess he caused," Newsom wrote.

The governor’s criticism comes amid a growing debate over the role of federal authorities in state-level law enforcement, with Newsom blaming Trump for worsening tensions instead of restoring order.

Earlier, the US President called on California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to apologise to the people of Los Angeles for what he described as their "absolutely horrible job" in a post on X (Twitter).

Donald Trump wrote, "Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass should apologise to the people of Los Angeles for the horrible job that they have done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots. These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists.

Members of the Trump cabinet threatened to arrest the California governor and the city’s mayor if they interfered with immigration agents on the ground.

According to the news agency Reuters, the Trump government-ordered deployment has sparked sharp backlash from California officials, who described the move as unlawful and politically motivated. President Donald J. Trump has called for immediate federal action in Los Angeles, alleging that the city has been "invaded and occupied by illegal aliens and criminals," and is currently facing violent unrest. Departments and agencies to "take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots.

California Governor Newsom said yesterday, 8 June, that he is suing the Trump administration over its deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles, something that is usually up to the governor. Newsom said the suit would be filed very early tomorrow (9 June).

Trump's order required the Defence Department to coordinate with California before he sent in the National Guard, Newsom said, adding that the administration failed to do so. "There's a protocol; there's a process. He didn't care about that. And the worst part? He completely lied," Newsom said, noting that Trump had said on social media that everything was safe because he had sent in the guard, even though the guard had not yet been deployed at the time. Newsom also called Trump's actions "unconstitutional" and "illegal."

Sources: Los Angeles Times, Reuters, ANI News, Tagesschau, BBC

MEXICO / LOCAL ELECTIONS

More than a quarter of newly elected Mexican mayors are women

By Adriana Maciel

June 2025: On 1 June 2025, some 251 of the 2,469 Mexican municipalities in two states (Durango and Veracruz) elected mayors for the 2025-2028 term.

Voters in the state of Durango elected 39 mayors, 17 of whom are women. The PAN-PRI Party coalition won the election by 38 per cent, followed by the three-party coalition formed by Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM), Labour Party (PT), and MORENA with 36 per cent. The old-ruling and most influential party in the past Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), was left behind with 13 per cent, while the Citizens’ Movement (MC) party obtained eight per cent. Finally, MORENA, the current ruling party, obtained a five per cent accounting for only two municipalities.

Of the 17 newly elected women mayors in Durango, the PAN-PRI coalition obtained 53 per cent of the votes. The PVEM-PT-MORENA coalition is in second place with a 29 per cent. Last, the PRI party obtained 18 per cent of the votes.

Two out of the 39 municipalities in Durango have over 200,000 inhabitants – Durango’s capital city and Gómez Palacio city. The latter will be ruled by a woman, Betzabe Martínez Arango, representing the PVEM-PT-MORENA coalition.

Voters in the State of Veracruz elected 212 mayors, 51 of whom are women. The PVEM-MORENA coalition obtained 28 per cent of the votes, followed by the MC party with 19 per cent. The other parties who will be ruling the remaining 52 per cent are National Action Party (PAN) (16%), PT (13%), PRI (11%), PVEM (6%), MORENA (6%). An independent candidate won the election in the municipality of Zaragoza with some 10,000 inhabitants.

In the municipality of Tuxtilla, with some 2,000 inhabitants, the voting ballot boxes were burnt due to disputes between supporters of different political groups, who gathered in front of the municipal building demanding transparency in the vote count, and also burnt the municipal building itself.

Four out of the 212 municipalities in Veracruz have over 200,000 inhabitants, and two of them will be ruled by women: Veracruz City, and the state’s capital Xalapa. The mayor elected in Veracruz city is Rosa Hernández Espejo, representing the PVEM-MORENA coalition, while Xalapa city will be ruled by Daniela Guadalupe Griego Ceballos, representing also the PVEM-MORENA coalition.

Mexico’s main political parties

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Founded in 1929; Politics: centre-right, nationalist

National Action Party (PAN) Founded in 1939; Politics: centre-right, right-wing

Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) Founded in 1989; Politics: centre-left, left-wing

MORENA Founded in 2011: Politics: Left-wing

Labour Party (PT) Founded in 1990; Politics: Left-wing

Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) Founded in 1993; Politics: Green politics, centre-left

Citizens Movement (MC) Founded in 1999; Politics centre-left

USA / DETROIT

Three black women vie to become Detroit’s next mayor

May 2025: For the first time since he won the role 12 years ago, Mike Duggan will not be on the ballot for Detroit mayor. His term expires at the end of 2025, opening up a competitive contest to succeed him. Voters will make their preferred choice from the wide field of candidates in the 5 August primary. The top two candidates will face off in the 4 November 2025 general election.

Among the ten declared candidates are three black women: Mary Sheffield, Saunteel Jenkins, and Danetta Simpson. While Detroit had several black mayors, including Coleman Young, who served from 1974 to 1994, the city never elected a woman mayor. The election of a Black woman would thus be a historic event for the city whose identity is closely tied to the civil rights and Black labour movements. Whoever Detroit elects, the new mayor will have to address the city’s chronic housing crisis, public safety and job creation.

Mary Sheffield, the current President of the Detroit City Council, proposes restructuring Detroit’s property tax system by implementing a land value tax to reduce speculation and vacancy. She also suggested charging fees for sporting events, concerts and other downtown activities to bring down property taxes. But any entertainment tax would require approval from the Michigan Legislature.

Saunteel Jenkins, a former Detroit City Council President, emphasises in her campaign health equity, education and transportation access. She also proposes the creation of ‘education hubs” throughout the city to address digital literacy, adult education, and workforce development. She also supports expanding mental health services and improving regional transportation infrastructure.

Danetta Simpson’s platform focuses on neighbourhood stabilisation and community safety. She supports transforming vacant properties, developing deteriorated homes, and establishing gun-free zones in high-crime areas.

Other candidates for Mayor of Detroit include: Solomon Kinloch, Joel Haashiim, Fred Durhal, James Craid, Todd Perkins, Jonathon Barlow and Rogelio Landin.

Sources: Bridge Detroit; Rolling Out

MEXICO CITY / SHOOTING

Deadly violence reaches Mexico’s capital city

May 2025: Two close aides of Mexico City mayor Clara Brugada have been killed in the latest attack against public officials in the country. Private secretary Ximena Guzman and adviser Jose Munoz were shot dead on Tuesday (20 May) in an early morning ambush in the city neighbourhood of Moderna.

According to a spokesperson from the federal prosecutor’s office, Guzman had been driving to work and stopped on a busy avenue to pick up her colleague. Munoz was approached by two gunmen on a motorbike who shot and killed him in the street. The attackers then fired at least four shots at Guzman inside the vehicle, killing her. Authorities have not yet given a motive for the attack, although security experts say it appeared to be a hit carried out by organised crime.

"I feel very sad for the loss of Ximena and Pepe (Jose), with whom for many years we shared dreams and struggles," a noticeably distressed Mayor Brugada said. She thanked Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her cabinet for the support and cooperation they had provided since the attack. The President is a former mayor of Mexico City.

"It is a deplorable incident and we are going to give all the support that the mayor may need," President Sheinbaum said. Mayor Brugada added that there would be no impunity for those responsible for the killing.

Mexico has one of the highest murder rates in the world, largely due to violence driven by drug cartels, but the capital has been known for its relative security compared with the rest of the country. While local politicians, especially the mayors of small towns, are often targeted in Mexico, attacks on politicians in the capital are unusual.

MEXICO / ASSASSINATION

Mexican local politicians ask for stronger police protection after another assassination

May 2025: Mexican police are still seeking the people responsible for the assassination of a mayoral candidate who was shot dead during a campaign rally in the Gulf of Mexico state of Veracruz. The attack on Sunday evening (11 May) in Texistepec cost the life of Yesenia Lara Gutíerrez, who was running for mayor of the town of 20,000. At least three of her supporters were also killed in the attack, authorities said. Three others were wounded.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that police were trying to track down the killers of Lara, who was a member of the president’s ruling Morena party. “We don’t know the motive,” Sheinbaum told reporters. State authorities in Veracruz were heading the investigation, the president said. Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle García condemned the attack and vowed there would be no impunity. “No office or post is worth the life of a person,” the governor wrote on social media, calling the slayings “cowardly.” Texistepec is about 125 miles southeast of the port city of Veracruz.

Last year, Mexico saw a record number of victims from political-criminal violence, with Data Cívica, a human rights organisation, reporting 661 attacks on people and facilities. Most of the victims were either holding or running for municipal-level positions. For years, local government officials have requested stronger police protection. “We deserve the same level of protection offered to state and federal officeholders and candidates.”

Mexican media have reported several cases where mayors and other local officials were threatened by criminal gangs to either offer favours or face violence against themselves and even their families.

In May 2024, a mayoral candidate was killed during a campaign stop in the southern state of Guerrero, in a shooting that was captured on video. Days later, the Mayor of Cotija in Michoacán state was shot dead as she was walking from a gym back to her house with her bodyguard. In October, the Mayor of Guerrero’s capital, Chilpancingo, was killed less than a week after taking office.

Local elections are scheduled for 1 June 2025.

CANADA / ALBERTA

Alberta’s mayors say separatist rhetoric is a dangerous fantasy

May 2025: Calgary’s Mayor Jyoti Gondek has responded forcefully to ideas that the Western Canadian province of Alberta could separate from the mother country. “At a time when Canada needs to be more united than ever before, it is not the time to fantasise about division.” The Mayor issued her warning after Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith said that she was minded to hold a referendum on the province’s separation next year if a petition amasses the prerequisite support.

The United Conservative government of Alberta has recently introduced legislation that, if passed, would lower the threshold petitioners must meet to trigger a provincial referendum.

Before Canada’s recent general election, held on 28 April 2025, Danielle Smith accused the Canadian federal government of Justin Trudeau of introducing legislation that hamstrung Alberta’s ability to produce and export oil, which she said has cost the province billions of dollars. She also said she doesn’t want the federal government meddling in provincial issues.

Calgary’s Mayor Gomndek, together with Edmonton’s Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, said that the province's Premier was stoking the embers of separatism during a period in which Canada's relationship with its closest ally has frayed under US President Donald Trump. She warned that talks about a referendum were a distraction during a time when Canada needs to strengthen its economy.

"It creates uncertainty. It creates a lack of confidence from investors," Gondek said. "It's a dangerous game to play at a time that we should be looking out for ourselves." She added that Calgary and other Alberta municipalities have butted heads with the province on many occasions, but they have never considered leaving.”

"Municipalities in this province have been through a lot. We have been surprised by legislation that has stripped us of the ability to do our job. But not once have you seen a municipality say, 'I wish to remove myself from the province. I wish to be an independent entity.' We don't do that because we know it's not sustainable," Gondek said. "So how on Earth can this province think it's a good idea to separate from the rest of Canada?"

The Alberta Federation of Labour recently voted overwhelmingly for a resolution asking the province’s leaders to ‘demonstrate their commitment to Canada through words and actions that advance nation-building efforts.’

Leaving is not as easy as voting in favour of a referendum. Canada’s constitution does not allow unilateral separation. Following the unsuccessful referendums on separation in Quebec, the federal government enacted the ‘Clarity Act’ in 2000 on how to approach future referendums on provinces seeking independence from the country. The act stipulates that the national parliament’s House of Commons determines if the referendum on a province’s independence demonstrates “a clear expression of a will by a clear majority” of the provincial population. Once determined, the provincial government can then negotiate with the federal government to amend the Canadian constitution to potentially allow its secession.

Eric Adams, a law professor at the University of Alberta with an expertise in constitutional issues, said the Supreme Court of Canada has set guidelines on what would happen should a province vote to separate. Provinces cannot unilaterally separate from the country, and a vote in favour of separation would trigger negotiations with the province, federal government and other groups, including First Nations. And therein lie future questions and disputes.

Sources: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; Alberta Federation of Labour; City of Calgary; City of Edmonton

USA / CHICAGO

Chicago Mayor calls Pope Leo XIV a champion for workers all over the world

May 2025: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson used the news of the election of Pope Leo XIV to post an informal social media message: “Everything dope, including the pope, comes from Chicago! Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you back home soon."

The mayor later followed his initial media outburst of joy with a more formal statement: “The Pope is from Chicago. This is one of the biggest moments in the modern history of our city. Pope Leo XIV will be a champion for workers all over the world. It’s only right that he was born and educated in the most pro-worker city in America. The Catholic Church has a strong tradition of standing up for the poor and the vulnerable, and I know that Pope Leo XIV will continue that tradition. This is a tremendous moment for our Catholic community and for all Chicagoans. God bless Chicago. God bless Pope Leo XIV.”

The election of Barack Obama to the White House in 2009 catapulted Chicago into a joyous frenzy for months, and having produced a president remains a source of pride. When news broke about Cardinal Robert Prevost’s election as the first American pope, the mood throughout the city was similar.

The new Bishop of Rome was born in 1955, in Chicago, Illinois. He spent his childhood and adolescence with his family and studied first at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers and then at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where in 1977 he earned a Degree in Mathematics and also studied Philosophy. In Rome, he was ordained a priest in 1982.

In 2015, Pope Francis appointed Robert Prevost Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru where the new pontiff remained until he was called back to the Vatican. During his years in Peru, Bishop Prevost acquired Peruvian citizenship.

Further reading: City Mayors from across the world mourn the death of Pope Francis

USA / SAN ANTONIO

A female Democrat is the favourite to become San Antonio’s next mayor

May 2025: Some 27 men and women vied to become the next mayor of San Antonio (Texas) after Ron Nirenberg, the popular incumbent mayor, was prevented from running again due to term limits. Because in the first round of voting on 3 May, none of the candidates received more than 50 per cent of the vote, the two highest-placing candidates, Under Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones, a Democrat, and former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos, a Republican, advance to a runoff election on 7 June.

Gina Ortiz Jones served in the Biden administration from 2021 to 2023, while Rolando Pablos was Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s second in command for two years, from January 2017 to December 2018.

In the first round, Jones was supported by 27 per cent of voters, with Pablos nine percentage points behind her.

Ahead of the runoff on 7 June, Ortiz Jones stressed her “proven” leadership in public service. My experience in government has been about solving problems, removing barriers and making smart investments — skills I will bring to City Hall. Rolando Pablos believes himself to be the best candidate for mayor. “My experience in the highest levels of business and government makes me the best candidate to create a stronger future for San Antonio.”

Further reading: American women in municipal government

USA / GEORGIA

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is expected to run for Governor of Georgia.

April 2025: Former Atlanta (Georgia) Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has all but announced that she intends to run for Governor of Georgia in November 2026. Yesterday, 28 April, she filed papers that would allow her to raise money for an election campaign. So far, the former mayor’s only Democratic competitor is Jason Esteves, a state senator. But with 18 months to go for the 2026 gubernatorial election, other candidates, both Democrats and Republicans, will emerge. Stacey Abrams, who ran twice against the current term-limited Republican Governor Brian Kemp, may try his luck again.

Republicans who are expected to announce their candidacies within weeks include Attorney General Chris Carr and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.

Bottoms, who, after her one-year term as Mayor of Atlanta (2018 to 2022), served in former President Joe Biden’s administration as senior adviser, said she was honoured by the encouragement she has received as she considered running for Governor. “I am taking an important administrative step in this journey by filing necessary paperwork to establish a Campaign Committee,” she said. “I look forward to announcing in the coming weeks.” The former mayor would immediately become the most high-profile Democrat running in the race.

She was Atlanta’s second woman mayor after Shirley Franklin, who served from 2002 to 2010.

Keisha Lance Bottoms was an early supporter of Joe Biden’s candidacy for the US Presidency and was considered a possible running mate once he became the Democratic nominee. In 2022, Biden appointed Bottoms as Director of the Office of Public Liaison, a position she held for nine months.

Further reading: American women in municipal government

USA / OAKLAND

Former US Congresswoman elected Mayor of Oakland (CA)

April 2025: Barbara Lee, a former member of the US House of Representatives, will be the next mayor of Oakland, California. She prevailed in a hard-fought special election, which was called after former mayor Sheng Thao was recalled in November 2024 and charged with corruption this January.

Born in El Paso, Texas, Barbara Lee’s family moved to California while she was in high school. She received a BA degree from Mills College in Oakland in 1973 and an MA from the University of California-Berkeley in 1975. Lee later served in the California State Assembly and State Senate before she was elected to the US Congress in 1998. After serving in Congress for more than 25 years, Barbara Lee ran unsuccessfully for California’s US Senate in the 2024 primary election. She now joins current Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and former San Francisco Mayor London Breed as Black women serving as mayors of major cities in California over the last few years. Lee is a member of the Democratic Party.

Oakland has faced significant challenges in recent years, including rising crime rates, a growing homelessness crisis, and a substantial budget deficit. In 2023, the city experienced its highest number of car thefts in over two decades, with a rate of approximately one car stolen for every 27 residents. Homelessness has doubled over the past decade, driven by a housing shortage. And the city's budget shortfall has led to cuts in public services and a hiring freeze.

Part of Mayor Lee’s 10-point plan includes directing the City Council to develop a budget that puts Oakland on solid financial footing. She also wants to establish stronger links between the leadership of the City’s police department and business leaders to keep the city safe. Another priority for Lee is deploying vegetation management crews to clear hazards in high fire danger zones to help protect residents and property from the growing threat of wildfires.

Sheng Thao, Oakland’s former Mayor, recalled by her fellow residents in November 2025, was in January 2025 charged with maintaining a corrupt relationship with her boyfriend, Andre Jones and David and Andy Duong, two of the Californian city’s best-known businessmen.

Further reading: American women in municipal government

USA / ST LOUIS

St Louis, Missouri, elects third woman mayor in a row

April 2025: After a bitter mayoral contest between two of St Louis’ (1) best-known women, the city on the Mississippi River elected its third female mayor in 12 years. Cara Spencer (2), a city alderwoman (councillor), defeated the incumbent mayor, Tishaura Jones (3), in an election held on 8 April 2025. Lyda Krewson served as Mayor from 2017 to 2021.

The 2025 mayoral election was a re-run of the 2021 contest but with the opposite outcome. Four years ago, Tishaura Jones defeated Cara Spencer by four percentage points, while this year, Spencer won the election in a landslide by 28 points. Some 64 per cent of voters cast their ballot for the challenger, with 36 per cent supporting the incumbent mayor. Only 28 per cent of registered voters bothered to go to the polls.

During the four years of Jones’ mayorship, there was little cooperation between the two women. During the campaign, Spencer focused her attack on Jones’ perceived failure to provide basic city services such as garbage collection, road safety and the city’s response to severe weather conditions. Mayor Jones, meanwhile, emphasised her administration’s achievement in reducing violent crime. “In the first three months of 2025, the St Louis police reported the lowest number of murders for 20 years.”

Financially, Tishaura Jones could not compete with her rival’s success in attracting money for her campaign. Cara Spencer raised more than US$1 million during the six weeks before the election. She also benefited from hundreds of thousands of dollars in PAC (4) spending. Much of the money raised by those PACs came from large developers and construction firms. The mayor-elect rejected the idea that the large financial contributions would make her beholden to property developers in the future.

St Louis’ public radio broadcaster (STLPR) warned of major challenges that await the mayor-elect. “The clock is ticking on the transition of the St Louis Metropolitan Police Department back to state control, which comes with financial impacts to the city.” The broadcaster also pointed out that “policy changes at the state and federal levels are also wreaking havoc on the city’s budget, and the revenue picture is already shaky.”

Notes

1) St Louis (Missouri) lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and has a population of 280,000. In the 2024 US presidential election, St Louis was one of only four counties in Missouri that backed Kamala Harris over Donald Trump

2) Cara Spencer served as a St Louis alderwoman (city councillor) from 2015 to 2023.

3) Tishaura Jones is a member of the Democratic Party. She served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 2008 to 2013.

4) In the US, a political action committee (PAC) is a tax-exempt organisation that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against political candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.

USA / DEMONSTRATIONS

Anti-Trump protests in every American state and many European cities

April 2025: Tens of thousands of Americans voiced their anger against US President Trump’s recent undemocratic and dangerous actions. Some 1,400 ‘Hands Off!’* protests were held at state capitols, federal buildings, congressional offices, parks and city halls throughout the country. Organisers said people gathered where their voices were sure to be heard. The protesters demanded an end to actions whose sole purpose seemed to be to satisfy Trump’s prejudices and grievances. Protesters also demanded an end to Elon Musk’s growing involvement in the federal government through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The protest sites included the National Mall in Washington DC, state capitols and other locations in all 50 states including Boston, Chicago and New York.

Protesters assailed the Trump administration's moves to fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security Administration field offices, effectively shutter entire agencies, deport immigrants, scale back protections for transgender people and cut federal funding for health programs. Musk, a Trump adviser who owns Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X, has played a key role in government downsizing as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.

In Massachusetts, thousands of people gathered on Boston Common holding signs including "Hands off our democracy," "Hands off our Social Security" and "Diversity equity inclusion makes America strong. Hands off!"

In Ohio, hundreds rallied in rainy conditions at the Statehouse in Columbus while thousands of people marched in New York City's midtown Manhattan. Hundreds of people also demonstrated in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a few miles from Trump's golf course in Jupiter, where the president spent the morning at the club's Senior Club Championship.

Anti-Trump demonstrations were also held in Europe on 5 April 2025. In Frankfurt, Germany’s financial capital, ‘Hands Off!’ demonstration was organised by Democrats Abroad, the official organisation of the Democratic Party for US citizens living overseas.

In Berlin, protesting in front of a Tesla showroom, demonstrators held placards calling on fellow Americans living in Germany to protest for "an end to the chaos" at home.

In the French capital of Paris, several hundred people, mostly American, gathered on the Place de la République to protest against Trump. Some gave speeches to denounce the president, with protesters waving banners ranging from ‘Resist Tyrant’, ‘Rule of Law’, ‘Feminists for Freedom not fascism’ and ‘Save Democracy’. One sang and played the Bob Dylan song Masters of War.

Protests against Trump and Musk were also held in other European cities, including London and Lisbon.

In the British capital, a few hundred people gathered in Trafalgar Square, holding signs saying ‘Proud American Ashamed’. The crowd chanted ‘Hands off Canada’, ‘Hands off Greenland’ and ‘Hands off Ukraine’ while listening to speeches criticising Trump.

* ‘Hands Off!’ is a grassroots movement that objects to what participants describe as an undemocratic takeover of government resources and services.

Contributors: Deutsche Welle, Reuters, Newsweek, CNN

Further reading: Mayors from Canada, the US and Mexico unite |

USA / CANADA / TARIFFS

Great Lakes mayors unite to stave off tariff damage to regional economies

April 2025: The global tariffs announced by US President Trump on 2 April 2025 and earlier, in February, will almost immediately affect Canadian and US cities. This is especially true for communities near the US-Canadian border. Also affected will be places with industries that rely on the exchange of goods between Canada and the US. Already, American companies that buy from and sell to Canada have announced job and investment cuts. For example, Stellantis, the manufacturer of Chrysler trucks and Jeeps has announced that 900 jobs in five US plants will be suspended. The company also plans to temporarily halt production at plants in Canada and Mexico.

Mayors of the affected locations in both Canada and the US are understandably very concerned. Several Canadian mayors have announced countermeasures, while US mayors have reminded the Trump administration and members of Congress how much the tariffs will be hurting American families and businesses.

On the day of President Trump’s presentation of tariffs in front of an invited audience, mayors representing 270 communities in the US and Canada held a virtual meeting to examine the implications of the US government’s measure and discuss how best to respond.

Mayors from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative called for urgent bilateral cooperation to prevent an all-out trade war. They urged unity and coordinated action to safeguard a bi-national economy — one that accounts for more than half of all Canada-US trade and generates over US$6 trillion in activity every year.

Marianne Meed Ward, mayor of Burlington, Ontario, home to several steel manufacturers, told the Canadian news portal National Observer that the impact of existing tariffs was already hitting local industries hard, particularly steel companies. Burlington has more than 8,800 employees and over 230 businesses that will be affected by the steel and aluminium tariffs, according to Environics data shared by the city.

“If the tariffs will be fully implemented, it will be devastating for our business community. The city could face layoffs, stalled investments, and even business closures, with ripple effects across the local economy as job losses reduce consumer spending,” the Burlington mayor explained.

The City of Toronto launched its 10-point plan to counter the impact of US tariffs, including tax deferrals for affected manufacturers, procurement reforms favouring Canadian-made goods, targeted support for auto parts suppliers, and efforts to expand global markets. The plan also includes a ‘Local Love’ campaign to promote Canadian products and a directive to reduce municipal use of US-based rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, and instead use local taxis.

Malik Evans, mayor of Rochester, New York, also expressed his outrage alongside his Canadian counterparts. “Tariffs will generate regressive cost increases on essential goods and services, delivering the greatest harm on those who can least afford to absorb them. I often say that talk of a trade war between the US and Canada reminds me of an African proverb that says, ‘When the elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers,’” Mayor Evans said during a virtual news conference that included the mayors of Chicago, Milwaukee, Toronto and several other cities.

Sources: Canada’s National Observer; City of Toronto; Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative; Rochester Business Journal

Further reading: Mayors from Canada, the US and Mexico unite |

Please email us with any questions or suggestions you may have