Around 7 million Americans took part in the “No Kings” protests across the US cities, demonstrating against President Donald Trump’s policies.
The protests took place amid an ongoing government shutdown and a growing military crackdown on Democratic-led cities. The Republicans responded to the protests by calling them “the hate America rally.”
‘No Kings’ Returns to US Streets
On Saturday, about 7 million Americans took to the streets to join the “No Kings” rallies, in one of the largest single-day nationwide demonstrations in US history, the organizers said in a statement.
The peaceful demonstrations took place in more than 2,700 cities and towns across the 50 states. The rallies drew 2 million more than the first go-round in June, when 5 million people protested against Trump as he held a military parade in Washington.
Protesters rallied across Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, New York City, and Atlanta. Moreover, smaller protests marched across European cities in solidarity with Americans, including in Berlin, Madrid, Rome, Lisbon, Paris, London, and Toronto.
Denouncing Trump Policies
In their statement, the “No Kings” organizers said that Americans gathered on this day to “stand together in nonviolent defiance of authoritarianism and affirm that this nation belongs to its people, not to kings.” They added that the protests aim to send a clear message “America will not be ruled by fear, force, or one man’s power grab.”
“Our work continues in big cities and small towns around this country and we will not back down to President Trump’s continued abuse of power,” they said.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has significantly expanded his presidential power, according to BBC. His actions include using executive orders to dismantle parts of the federal government, cracking down on immigration, and deploying National Guard troops to US cities despite resistance from state governors.
Furthermore, he has urged his senior law enforcement officials to pursue legal action against his perceived political adversaries, claiming that these actions are necessary to rebuild a “country in crisis” amid warnings that these moves are unconstitutional and a threat to democracy.
Additionally, the protests come as the government shutdown nears its third week, while Republican lawmakers and the White House remain deadlocked with Democrats on a funding bill.
Republicans Pushback
In an interview with Fox News, Trump commented on the rallies. “You know – they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” he said.
Similarly, the House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, on Friday described the “No Kings” protests “the hate America rally,” according to Reuters.
Other Republicans warned that protest organizers were creating an atmosphere that risked inciting political violence, especially after the assassination of Trump ally and right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in September.
Trump’s Approval Rates
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 58% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s performance as a president, while only 40% approve. The rating was affected by his handling of crime and the cost of living for US households.
Moreover, 58% believe that the president should only deploy troops to areas with external threats, while 83% say that the US military should remain politically neutral, in a strong sign of growing unease among Americans over Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in US cities.
