Organizers estimate 7 million people participated in “No Kings rallies” held on Saturday across the United States, protesting what they termed “President Trump’s embrace of authoritarianism”. According to organizers, events were held in 2,600 locations across all 50 states. This event reportedly surpassed the 5 million participants estimated during the first “No Kings Day of Action in June.
Protesters state their rallying cry is “A constitution, not a king”. Participants say they are standing against what they describe as the Trump administration’s “authoritarian policies”, accusing the president of “believing his rule is absolute”.
Conversely, top Republicans have condemned the “No Kings” protests. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson called the demonstrations “hating America” protests. This rhetoric aligns with other allies of the administration who, according to DW correspondent Benjamin Alvarez Gruber, have tried to paint the protesters as “anti-American”.
In Washington D.C., an estimated 200,000 people rallied. The D.C. metro area is noted as having the “highest concentration of federal workers furloughed and fired”.
The demonstrators have outlined a “long list of grievances”. These include a “vast immigration crackdown”, the “mass firing of federal workers”, and perceived “attacks on political opponents, the media, and judicial independents”. One protester in Washington D.C. stated the president is “dismantling every safeguard that we’ve had for our country and our democracy”.
Federal Workers Voice Concerns at D.C. No Kings Rallies
A significant portion of participants at the Washington D.C. event identified themselves as current or former federal employees affected by agency shutdowns and furloughs.
Speaking with Democracy Now, Anthony Lee, a member of the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 22 representing FDA employees, stated he was attending to “stand up for our democracy”. Lee, who is currently furloughed, said he and his colleagues “want to get back to work” to protect public health. He noted that employees are “going without a paycheck, struggling to figure out how they’re going to make ends meet”.
Paul Osadebe, a D.C. resident, identified himself as a federal worker who was “furloughed, who’s been fired under this administration”. Osadebe stated his agency “had been shut down way before the current shutdown” and that federal workers “want to serve the people”. He attended to make it clear “that we can’t have an authoritarian government”.
Ethan Bman, an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School, who spoke to DW news, explained that Congress must pass spending resolutions and the president must sign them to end the shutdown. Bman alleged that the president is leveraging the shutdown to “reduce the federal workforce” and “further consolidate power under the executive branch,” a strategy he connected to Project 2025.
Participants Cite Diverse Motivations
Attendees at the No Kings rallies cited a wide range of reasons for protesting.
Several participants mentioned specific social and political issues. Sophia, visiting from Massachusetts, cited support for “women’s reproductive freedom”. Kathleen from Martha’s Vineyard stated, “we got to get ICE out of the streets”. Sophia also highlighted the role of immigrants, stating, “the immigrants run our city”.
Other protesters focused on democratic principles and civil liberties. Carolyn from Reston, Virginia, stated she was protesting attempts to “squash our First Amendment” and what she described as the disappearance of “the rule of law,” referencing the pardon of George Santos. Rachel, from South Bend, Indiana, said she was protesting Trump “taking over the federal government” and “putting the military against our own citizens”.
Tala, a Palestinian from Florida, attended to “represent my people” and stated, “Fascism is the system”. She also raised concerns about “restriction… on freedom of speech” and “people getting wrongfully imprisoned”.
Journalist Mehdi Hasan delivered a speech at the “No Kings” rally in Washington, D.C., positioning the event as a defense of American democracy against the Trump administration.
Addressing the crowd, Hasan began by countering claims from Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican members of Congress that the gathering was a “hate rally”. Hasan stated he was present not out of “hate,” but out of “love” for the United States, its First Amendment, its democracy, and its diversity.
Hasan, who identified himself as an immigrant who “chose America”, argued that immigrants often have a distinct appreciation for the country, having sworn an oath to the Constitution. He contrasted this with Donald Trump, whom he accused of violating that same oath.
He also drew a comparison between the U.S. and his country of origin, the United Kingdom, which has a monarchy. Hasan claimed that “even King Charles has more respect for democratic norms and traditions” than Trump.
Hasan characterized the administration as a “wannabe dictatorship”, noting the rally was taking place 271 days into Trump’s term. He criticized the president for his stated desire to be a “dictator, but only for a day” and for his recent visit with Egyptian President Sisi, whom Hasan described as a “military dictator”. Hasan reported that Trump praised Sisi’s “fantastic leadership.”
