Across the United States, a rising tide of civic resistance is challenging the Trump administration’s increasingly assertive approach to executive power, climate policy, and civil liberties. This week, two powerful currents converged: a landmark federal court hearing in Montana, where young activists are suing over executive orders they say threaten their fundamental rights, and a nationwide surge in grassroots protests, marches, and creative acts of dissent designed to defend democracy and demand climate justice.
In Missoula, Montana, the air was thick with anticipation as 22 young climate activists—ranging in age from just 7 to 25—stepped into a federal courthouse on September 16 and 17, 2025. Their lawsuit, Lighthiser v. Trump, seeks to halt three executive orders issued by President Trump, which they argue are designed to ramp up fossil fuel development, stifle renewable energy, and terminate congressionally mandated climate change research. According to Montana Free Press, the plaintiffs allege these orders were justified under a “false claim of an energy emergency, while the true emergency is that our fossil fuel-based energy system is polluting the air, water, lands, and climate on which Plaintiffs’ lives, liberties, and personal security depend.”
The stakes of the case extend beyond environmental policy. As Julia Olson, founder of Our Children’s Trust and lead attorney for the plaintiffs, put it to Judge Dana Christensen, the central question is whether the Constitution protects children and youth from executive abuses of power that threaten their rights to life and liberty. “Lighthiser goes beyond the traditional climate cases that Our Children’s Trust is famous for, because it’s really a case about our democracy,” said Mat dos Santos, another attorney for the plaintiffs, as quoted by Montana Free Press.
This week’s hearing was historic: it marked the first time a U.S. federal court heard live testimony in a constitutional climate change case. The plaintiffs, supported by expert witnesses, described how environmental harm has upended their lives. One of the most poignant moments came from an 11-year-old, identified only as J.K., who recounted his younger brother’s hospitalization due to air pollution. “When you have a legislature and an executive branch who refuse to do anything about the problem and even continue to make it worse, where else can we turn but the judicial branch of our government?” asked Delaney Reynolds, a 25-year-old plaintiff from Miami, underscoring the gravity of the moment.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s legal team pressed for the case’s dismissal, arguing in August that the court lacked jurisdiction and that the plaintiffs hadn’t shown how the court could remedy their alleged harms. The list of defendants has ballooned to include more than a dozen federal agencies, President Trump himself, and, in a rare move, a coalition of 19 states and Guam—reflecting the broad reach of the administration’s policies and the perceived threat posed by the lawsuit to the government’s fossil fuel agenda. As noted in an Our Children’s Trust press release, Lighthiser is the only case among more than 450 filed against the Trump administration where a coalition of states has sought to intervene, signaling the lawsuit’s significance.
Judge Christensen, who presided over the two-day hearing, is expected to issue a ruling in the coming week or so. Even if the plaintiffs do not secure an immediate injunction, their attorneys believe the case will shape future legal battles over climate and executive power. Olson, for her part, urged the court to take inspiration from landmark moments in American history, such as Brown v. Board of Education, when the judiciary stepped in to uphold constitutional principles despite the absence of clear precedent.
While the courtroom drama unfolded in Montana, the streets and squares of America buzzed with activism. According to the Western Mass Resistance Calendar, more than 850 protests were held nationwide last week, and nearly 1,200 venues have registered for the upcoming No Kings Day #2 actions on October 18. These events are part of a broader, decentralized movement resisting what many see as the administration’s authoritarian drift and disregard for democratic norms.
This weekend, the Make Billionaires Pay March in New York City—timed to coincide with the UN General Assembly and Climate Week—will serve as a focal point for climate justice mobilizations under the banner Draw the Line, running from September 19 to 21. Organizers describe the march as a direct challenge to “fascist billionaires trying to take control of our government and extract as much profit for our communities as possible,” and see it as a spark for even more sustained, community-based organizing.
Local actions abound. In Northampton, Massachusetts, activists will celebrate Sun Day in the Doozy Do Parade on September 20, highlighting the promise of clean energy with electric vehicles, e-bikes, and solar installers. Standouts for migrant workers and Palestine are scheduled in Hadley and Greenfield, while the Big E in West Springfield will see Standout for Democracy events drawing crowds from across New England. On September 21, Springfield hosts a Let Gaza Live! Standout, and Holyoke continues its recurring I-91 Overpass Standout, all part of a weekly rhythm of visible dissent.
Organizers aren’t just marching—they’re strategizing. Trainings like the One Million Rising Training in Non-cooperation, set for October 4 in Northampton, aim to equip citizens with the tools of nonviolent resistance, coalition-building, and direct action. As Ben Ratersdorf wrote in Nine Wins to be Thankful For, “Holding on to incremental wins is part of how we blunt the shock-and-awe strategy coming from the White House. Donald Trump wants you to feel overwhelmed and despondent. In fact, he’s counting on it—that’s the only way the authoritarian project succeeds.”
Resistance is not confined to the streets. Boycotts targeting major corporations, creative protest actions like Tesla Takedowns, and mutual aid networks are all part of a sprawling landscape of dissent. Blogs, newsletters, and toolkits circulate strategies for safe protest, lobbying, and even organizing general strikes. As one activist noted in The New Yorker, “It’s ironic that, as a pro-democracy and pro-climate group, we’re protesting against electric cars. But you cannot sacrifice our democracy for one piece of the thing.”
Yet the sense of hope persists. Despite the heavy subject matter, Reynolds described the atmosphere at the Montana courthouse as “overwhelmingly joyous,” buoyed by supporters and a shared belief in the justice system. “There’s a lot of hope. There’s a lot of laughter,” she said. “Everybody just has so much hope in our justice system and for the future of our planet.”
As the nation waits for Judge Christensen’s ruling, and as resistance calendars fill with new actions, one thing is clear: the struggle over the balance of power, climate policy, and the future of American democracy is nowhere near settled. For now, the fight continues—in the courts, in the streets, and in the hearts of those determined to shape what comes next.
