TikTok’s witches are organising rallies against Donald Trump’s administration, through the force of ‘rage, power, energy, herbs, crystals and vibes’ – but what effect is it having?
It’s safe to say Donald Trump has rocked the boat since taking his first steps into the White House in 2017 – but this is one group he probably shouldn’t have upset. The witches of TikTok are now leading a campaign to thwart the fake tan fanatic once and for all.
Witches from the activist group Druids For Change have taken issue with what they claim to be Trump’s “fascist” policies. They’re standing up against threats to women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and the safety of people of colour. According to them: “Witchcraft is political”.
Over the past few months, the Utah-based activist group have been organising political protests under the label: ‘Hex The Fascists’, which has attracted crowds of witches to the state’s capital. Their latest protest poster stated: “Join us for an empowerment and protection ritual – no experience needed.”
As for necessary materials? They asked participants to bring their “rage, power, energy, herbs, crystals and vibes”. Although they do kindly request that no fires are started.
For the uninitiated, it may sound a little crazy. But witchcraft is a very real and growing practice – particularly online. The TikTok hashtag #witchtok contains over 8.1 million posts and encompasses all sorts of beliefs and practices, from tarot readings to spellcasting.
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Of course, for practising witches who are also anti-Trump, it’s become a trend to post videos of themselves hexing him online. If you’ve never cast a hex yourself, methods vary, but it generally involves creating some kind of ‘protective circle’ and entering a meditative state in order for the spell to take hold. While occupying a sizeable corner of the Internet, it has largely remained quite niche.
However, Druids For Change have attempted to take it to the mainstream. A clip of their most recent rally on March 15 in the centre of Salt Lake City has gained over 80,000 views. “Can you feel the energy?” one participant’s caption reads. “Thank you to everyone who is fighting on the right side of history (not the far right lol).”
The comments have been equal parts baffled, inspired and impressed. “This is the first glimpse of hope I’ve had since he [Trump] announced he was running again. The witches have come, Universe is angry,” one account wrote.
Even for those who don’t identify as witches, the movement has drawn praise. “I have so much respect for you taking active action with your craft,” one user said. Another wrote: “though I am not a believer even I can feel this power.”
Unfortunately, not everyone has had positive reaction to the rallies. Under a Reddit post on r/Utah, some argued that it was undermining the leftist movement. One user wrote: “How about you pick a protest theme that doesn’t make them justified in ridiculing you for looking like crazy people. As a person who thinks the possibility of authoritarianism is a serious issue, you’re making us all look like a f–king joke.”
And yes, the naysayers do have a point. While witchcraft has been widely documented throughout history, there is no hard scientific evidence to back it up. It can be argued that hex-casting is not an effective stand against the current American administration.
However, the flaw with this line of criticism is that it assumes that the witches themselves aren’t taking the rallies seriously. But when it comes to political activism, it’s not their first rodeo. Druids For Change has also played a large part in the fight for reproductive rights in Utah, which have come under threat due to the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. In January 2025, they also organised a rally to protect trans rights.
Plus, while the efficacy of witchcraft can be argued, as many commenters have pointed out, the mere act of being vocal and taking a stand is powerful in itself. With Trump’s recent outburst on Truth Social about cracking down on pro-Palestine protests, concerns have been raised about potential infringement against the right to free speech.
Particularly for women, many of whom feel they have had their rights threatened under the current US administration, witchcraft can be a way to regain some semblance of power. Even for those who don’t believe in spells, there is strength and agency that comes from group action.
