Demonstrators will take to the streets across the country tomorrow for a “Kings Day of Peaceful Action” against Trump administration policies. Organizers believe the president is behaving more like a king than a democratic leader.
President Trump is “doubling down — sending militarized agents into our communities, silencing voters, and handing billionaires handouts while families fight back,” according to the No Kings website’s homepage.
Organizers say this weekend’s series of mass peaceful protests will build on June 14, No Kings Day of Defiance, which was held in response to the US Army’s 250th anniversary military parade in Washington and also coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday.
On Saturday, “millions will gather in a peaceful demonstration to stand together in the belief that America belongs to its people, not to kings,” organizers said.
Meanwhile, several Republicans in Congress are calling the massive No Kings protests “Hate America” rallies. GOP members also accuse Democrats of extending the federal government shutdown into rallies designed to appease liberal groups that have criticized Democratic lawmakers for not doing enough to resist Trump’s changes to the federal government.
More than 5 million people in all 50 states on June 14. participated in the first “Without Kings” protests, among approximately 2,100 peaceful events. This Saturday, nationwide marches are predicted to be even bigger. The organizers say that on October 18 more than 2,500 events are scheduled in all 50 states, including big cities and small towns.
“We don’t anticipate having to deploy the National Guard, but if the Trump administration tries to do so to intimidate peaceful protests, we are prepared to do so,” Deirdre Schifeling of the American Civil Liberties Union said at a news conference Thursday.
Here’s what else you need to know about the event.
What is No Kings?
“No Kings” is the name of the organized protests that will take place on Saturday, October 18. It is not the name of a specific group, but of a coalition of partners helping to organize future protests. The site lists more than 200 progressive groups as partners, which have helped organize upcoming events and sent members to work with local partners across the United States.
Throughout the No Kings website, it emphasizes that demonstrations must remain peaceful. “A core principle of all No Kings events is a commitment to non-violent action. We expect all participants to try to minimize any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to behave lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those that are legally possessed, should not be brought to events.
Where and when do the protests take place?
Protests are planned in all 50 states at various times on Saturday. On the No Kings website, people can register and organize their own rally if there is no rally in their area.
Here are the locations of the main No Kings rallies:
What the Trump administration and Republicans are saying about the protests
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at a news conference Wednesday that he believed Democrats would “come to their senses quickly” and end the government shutdown after the No Kings demonstrations. “But ‘No Kings’ means no pay,” Bessent said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed on Fox News on Monday that the millions of protesters expected this weekend are “antifa, paid protesters.” Antifa is a left-wing anti-fascist group designated as a domestic terrorist organization by the Trump administration.
Duffy also argued that the protesters are controlling the actions of Democratic leaders such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York. “Democrats want to wait for a big No Kings protest rally when it’s all about who’s running the show in the Senate?” Duffy said. “Chuck Schumer is not running the show. No Kings protesters or organizers are running the show.”
Rep. Pat Harrigan, a Republican from North Carolina, appeared on Fox Business and said Democrats may naturally end the shutdown after the No Kings protests over the weekend. Harrigan described them as “a blue-haired, anthropomorphic experiment that will take place here in Washington, DC.”
Republican leaders, including the protests, are calling “hate America” rallies.
October 10 Johnson told Fox News that he “made a deal” with Democrats on the government shutdown and accused them of stalling it until the rallies.
“They’re playing games with real people’s lives. The theory we have right now is the Hate America rally scheduled for October 18th on the National Mall. It’s Hamas supporters and antifa people; they’re all coming out,” Johnson said. “That’s what we’re told [Democrats] won’t be able to reopen the government until that rally because they can’t deal with their rabid base.
In response to Johnson’s comments, the No Kings coalition released the following statement:
“Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses to shut down the government. Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable health care, or reducing spending for working families, he is attacking the millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say America belongs to its people, not its kings. We’ll see everyone on October 18.”