Thousands of Americans filled the streets on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump’s leadership during the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations. Organizers held more than 2,600 rallies in cities including Washington, New York, Boston, and Chicago, as well as hundreds of smaller towns.
Crowds in Times Square and Washington, D.C. gathered before noon, chanting “Trump must go now!” and waving signs denouncing his immigration crackdown and executive overreach. Protesters carried banners reading “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting” and “Resist Fascism.”
Many rallies had a festive atmosphere, with marching bands, street performances, and a massive banner featuring the U.S. Constitution’s preamble for attendees to sign. In Portland, Oregon, demonstrators dressed as frogs — a symbol of resistance in the city’s protest culture.
The event marked the third major protest since Trump’s return to the White House. It came amid a government shutdown that halted federal programs and intensified clashes between the executive branch and Congress. Organizers warned that Trump’s governing style signaled a drift toward authoritarianism.
Democrats Join Protesters as GOP Dismisses “No Kings” Movement
Republican leaders dismissed the demonstrations as “Hate America” rallies, while Trump himself spent the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, attending a $1 million-per-plate fundraiser for his MAGA Inc. campaign group.
“They call me a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said during a Fox News interview Friday before leaving Washington.
Protest organizers said the demonstrations united the opposition in ways earlier protests had not. Previous rallies — including those opposing Elon Musk’s job cuts and Trump’s June military parade — had drawn large turnouts, but organizers called this event the most coordinated yet.
Top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Bernie Sanders, joined the protests. They framed the rallies as a show of “patriotic resistance” against what they see as threats to free speech and democratic norms.
“There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, one of the main organizing groups.
Global Demonstrations Show Solidarity with American Protesters
Supporters abroad also joined the movement. Hundreds rallied in European cities such as Madrid and Helsinki, where Americans living overseas demonstrated in solidarity with protesters in the United States.
In Madrid, participants chanted slogans and held signs at a rally organized by Democrats Abroad. Messages included “No Kings,” “No Kings, No Oligarchs, No Fascism,” and the cheeky “No Kings — except Bad Bunny.”
In Helsinki, one protester explained why Europeans are distancing themselves from the U.S.
“Many of my friends refuse to visit America now,” she said. “They fear what might happen under this administration. The U.S. has lost global credibility because of Trump’s actions.”
The “No Kings” demonstrations — both domestic and international — signaled a renewed wave of grassroots activism and global solidarity, as citizens voiced their determination to defend democracy and reject authoritarian rule.
