Local activists filled the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol at noon Wednesday protesting actions taken by the Trump administration within its first three weeks.

Cynthia Coen is a native Arkansan who returned home to care for her mother. Like many others there, she said it was hard to pin down just one issue that brought her out to make her voice heard.

"It's so difficult to list everything, to list everything that's happening," said Coen. "Back to wasting water in California, over 90 million gallons of water that just went into nowhere, to defying the FEMA organization. This whole DEI situation, it’s insane.”

Local activists join nationwide '50501' protest movement

*Carlos Bonilla/Little Rock Public Radio*
Activists line the steps to the Arkansas Capitol grounds for the '50501' protests

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

On Monday, President Donald Trump issued a memo halting about $10 trillion in federal spending.

The memo said “Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance.” Trump said he wanted to pause funds temporarily to investigate the fundings connection to programs he opposes such as: “DEI, woke gender ideology, and the Green New Deal.”

A judge halted the order later in the week, and on Wednesday, the Trump administration rescinded the order altogether.

In the days after the order was handed down, agencies across Arkansas were confused.

Uncertainty circulates after executive order stopping federal spending