Rep. Alma Adams’ Charlotte town hall rallies Democratic response to Trump, federal cuts
Rep. Alma Adams encouraged voters to speak out against President Donald Trump and emphasized that Democrats are fighting back against the Republican administration at a Thursday town hall in Charlotte.
More than 100 people attended the event at Mayfield Memorial Missionary Baptist Church, the same week Republican leadership reportedly told GOP lawmakers to halt in-person town halls amid demonstrations at some events.
Adams, a Democrat whose 12th Congressional District includes parts of Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties, offered blunt criticism of Trump’s second term. She referred to key Trump advisor Elon Musk as “the little man,” warned Trump’s plans for the Department of Education could decimate public schools and said Republicans in Congress appear “scared as hell” of the president.
“Donald Trump sought to sidestep Congress and to try to legislate from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave,” she said. “... Executive orders are not laws. Laws are made by Congress.”
Questions from the audience focused on different parts of Trump’s agenda — from his views on immigration to impacts on federal funding for affordable housing and the future of social security.
But many of the questions ended with a common refrain: What are Democrats doing to temper Trump’s power?
Town halls in the spotlight
Many congressional town halls have turned contentious after Trump’s reelection, especially for Republican representatives facing questions and protests about cuts to federal spending under Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump addressed the town halls on social media this week, claiming without evidence “paid troublemakers” were disrupting GOP events.
Republican U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, a North Carolinian who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, told GOP lawmakers this week in a closed-door meeting they should stop holding in-person town halls, multiple news outlets reported.
Democrats seized on Hudson’s comments.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the party’s vice presidential nominee last year, suggested Democrats should host their own town halls in GOP-controlled districts.
“Hell, maybe I will. If your congressman refuses to meet, I’ll come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat ‘em,” Walz wrote on social media.
Adam’s referenced Hudson’s reported comments at her Thursday town hall, saying voters appear “not real happy” with the Republican agenda.
At least one North Carolina Republican will keep holding in-person events despite Hudson’s warning. U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards told Spectrum News 1 he’s moving forward with a planned town hall in Asheville next week.
“My responsibility is to hear from people, even though their opinions might differ from mine. I believe rather than shying away from the conversation that we should engage in rational dialogue, because we all at some point have to come together to create a better way of life,” he said.
‘How do we fight back?”
The crowd at Adams’ town hall was boisterous at times.
The congresswoman’s digs at Trump and Musk received cheers and applause. When Adams referred to the Trump White House as “theater,” someone in the audience shouted “a circus!”
While audience questions touched on different parts of Trump’s agenda, many ended their questions the same way, “how do we fight back?”
Adams told the crowd Democrats in Congress and at the state level are challenging many of Trump’s executive orders in court and introducing legislation to combat his policies, including bills to protect personal information from DOGE and safeguard the Department of Education.
“I’m proud of the party I represent,” she said.
Adams said the 2026 midterm elections will be crucial for Democrats to pick up seats in the U.S. House and Senate. Republicans currently hold a majority in both chambers.
“We need to get the majority back,” Adams said.
Staffers handed out paper to attendees at the town hall for people to write letters to Trump, which Adams said she would deliver to the administration. She encouraged the crowd to call, email and visit the offices of both of North Carolina’s Republican U.S. senators, particularly Sen. Thom Tillis. At times a foe of Trump’s, Tillis is seen as vulnerable to both a primary challenger and Democratic challenger in his 2026 reelection campaign.
“I think Thom Tillis needs to hear from us,” Adams said Thursday.
When some in the audience shouted back that Tillis’s offices haven’t answered their calls, Adams instructed them to call out the senator on social media.
“Just show up,” Adams told attendees.
This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 9:48 AM with the headline "Rep. Alma Adams’ Charlotte town hall rallies Democratic response to Trump, federal cuts."
