Donald Trump | ALXnow

From Trump’s inner circle to MAGA’s enemy: Alexandria’s Olivia Troye on her journey from White House insider to lifelong resistance

Published August 5, 2025 at 6:30PM | Updated August 11, 2025 at 10:00AM

Former Trump administration official Olivia Troye at the No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Olivia Troye has lost friends and made powerful enemies since moving to Alexandria.

The former career intelligence officer made national headlines after resigning from a top post at the White House under President Donald Trump in 2020, and then speaking out against the administration. The lifelong conservative Republican went so far as to endorse former Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for president, even spoke at the Democratic National Convention, and is a frequent anti-Trump commentator on national TV. Now living in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, she makes public appearances at protests, publishes multiple weekly posts to more than 300,000 subscribers on her Substack, and says she’s dedicated to spending the rest of her life fighting President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.

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Hundreds march in ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ rally in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published July 18, 2025 at 9:30AM | Updated July 18, 2025 at 3:44PM

Hundreds marched in the Good Trouble Lives On protest in Old Town, July 17, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Hundreds rallied and marched against the Trump administration in Old Town on Thursday night (July 17).

The event at Judy Guse-Noritake Park (600 N. Henry Street) joined hundreds of Good Trouble Lives On rallies across the country, commemorating the fifth anniversary of the death of Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), with participants holding signs and speaking against the Trump administration. The civil rights icon was renowned for his legacy of nonviolent action in defense of democracy.

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‘Good Trouble’ anti-Trump rally planned in Alexandria on anniversary of John Lewis’s death

By James Cullum

Published July 1, 2025 at 12:30PM | Updated July 1, 2025 at 1:19PM

The No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Another anti-Tump rally is being planned in Alexandria.

Organizers describe the July 17 (Thursday) rally as a day of nonviolent action to protest “attacks posed on our civil and human rights” by the Trump administration. The “Good Trouble Lives On” event coincides with the July 17, 2020, death of civil rights icon U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA).

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PHOTOS: Thousands attend No Kings Rally in Old Town, Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published June 14, 2025 at 10:21PM | Updated June 15, 2025 at 5:53AM

The No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria leaders railed against the Trump administration at Alexandria’s Market Square on Saturday, just across the Potomac River from the military parade celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, which also coincides with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.

Alexandria’s No Kings Rally was attended by thousands. The rally also comes as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reportedly preparing to deploy tactical units to Northern Virginia and four major cities across the country.

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Report: ICE preparing to deploy tactical units to Northern Virginia and four big cities

By James Cullum

Published June 11, 2025 at 3:00PM | Updated June 14, 2025 at 3:04AM

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement logo (via Facebook)

Northern Virginia is reportedly among the “five cities run by Democratic leaders” that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to deploy tactical units to, according to MSNBC.

Citing two unnamed sources “familiar with the planning of future ICE operations,” MSNBC reported that ICE is preparing to deploy tactical response teams in New York City, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Northern Virginia.

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Alexandria elected officials to speak at anti-Trump protest outside City Hall

By James Cullum

Published June 10, 2025 at 10:45AM

There's a "No Kings in Alexandria" protest against the Trump administration on Saturday, June 14, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Market Square at 301 King Street in Old Town (via AlexDems)

Alexandria leaders will participate in an anti-Trump protest in front of City Hall at Market Square (301 King Street) on Saturday.

Confirmed speakers at the event, which runs from 3 to 5 p.m., include U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8), Virginia House majority leader Charniele Herring (D-4), Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39), and Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter. Mayor Alyia Gaskins is tentatively scheduled to speak.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published May 30, 2025 at 3:30PM | Updated May 31, 2025 at 12:49AM

Alexandria City High School's graduation at George Mason University's EagleBank Arena, May 28, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

What a week we just had in Alexandria!

Here’s our recap of everything worth talking and reading about over the past week in the Port City. This week, Alexandria was named a Sanctuary Jurisdiction by the Trump administration, a distinction Mayor Alyia Gaskins said “wrongly targets and mischaracterizes Alexandria and dismisses core principles that make up the foundation of our democracy.”

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published March 14, 2025 at 3:00PM | Updated April 19, 2025 at 3:13AM

Proposed renovations show a Van Leeuwen ice cream shop at 400 King Street (via City of Alexandria)

What a busy week it’s been in Alexandria.

Our top story was on big changes planned for 400 King Street in Old Town. The building takes over an entire city block and is currently home to The Alexandrian Old Town Hotel at 480 King Street and Southern restaurant King & Rye.

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Alexandria Dems ask Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine to stop supporting Trump’s cabinet picks

By James Cullum

Published March 11, 2025 at 1:00PM

(Left to right) Del. Charniele Herring, Lamice Albaayno, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, Lance Collins, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus ribbon cutting, Feb. 28, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Democratic Committee isn’t happy that Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner recently voted for a number of President Donald Trump’s new cabinet secretaries.

At its March meeting last week, the ADC passed a resolution asking the Democratic lawmakers to withhold future support in all forms.

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Congressman Beyer warns of devastating impact of Medicaid cuts

By Ryan Belmore and James Cullum

Published March 7, 2025 at 3:47PM | Updated March 7, 2025 at 6:18PM

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (center) hosting a roundtable discussion on the potential impact of Medicaid cuts, from his Old Town office, along with Del. Mark Sickles (D-17), on left, with Colleen Leners, the regional director of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Freddy Mejia, a policy director at The Commonwealth Institute and Mary Lee Ruby, March 7, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Congressman Don Beyer (D-8th) is sounding the alarm about proposed Medicaid cuts that could have devastating consequences for hundreds of thousands of Virginians who rely on the program for healthcare.

Beyer hosted a roundtable at his Alexandria office Friday with elected leaders, healthcare providers, advocates, and affected Virginians to discuss the potential impact of nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts proposed in a budget resolution passed by House Republicans last week.

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Alexandria leaders rattled by Trump administration’s attempt to freeze federal grants and loans

By James Cullum

Published January 29, 2025 at 2:35PM

Donald Trump (from campaign website)

Alexandria nonprofits can breathe a sigh of relief after the White House today rescinded a controversial order by President Trump’s administration to withhold all federal grants and loans.

The Trump administration ordered a halt to all federal and grant programs on Monday (Jan. 27), and it was soon after temporarily blocked from going into effect until Monday, Feb. 3. The block was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan and the White House rescinded the order on Wednesday (Jan. 29).