Americans filled city streets across the United States on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump’s leadership during nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations.
Organisers held more than 2,600 rallies, drawing thousands of people to New York City, Washington, Chicago, and Boston.
Crowds packed Times Square and the National Mall before noon, chanting “Trump must go now!” and waving signs condemning his immigration policies. Protesters carried banners reading “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting” and “Resist Fascism.” Many rallies resembled street festivals, with marching bands, a giant U.S. Constitution banner for signatures, and protesters dressed as frogs, a symbol of resistance from Portland, Oregon.
This marked the third major mobilisation since Trump’s return to the White House. The protests followed a government shutdown that closed federal programmes and ignited debate over executive power. Organisers warned the crisis signalled a slide toward authoritarianism.
Republicans dismissed the demonstrations as “Hate America” rallies, while Trump remained at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, where nearby protests were planned.
“They call me a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said in a Fox News interview Friday before attending a $1 million-per-plate MAGA fundraiser at his club.
Protest Leaders Say Movement Unites Opposition
Protest organisers said the “No Kings” movement unites critics across the political spectrum. They described it as a grassroots response to Trump’s policies and rhetoric.
Earlier demonstrations this year — against Elon Musk’s labour cuts and Trump’s June military parade — attracted large crowds, but activists said this wave brought together a broader coalition.
Top Democrats, including Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, joined protests to oppose the administration’s restrictions on free speech and militarised immigration raids.
Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, described the rallies as a patriotic stand against authoritarianism.
“There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than people-powered democracy,” Levin said.
Organisers said their message focused on defending constitutional checks and balances and reaffirming citizens’ right to dissent.
Solidarity Demonstrations Spread Across Europe
Protests also erupted in European capitals, where hundreds gathered in solidarity with Americans.
Events organised by Democrats Abroad drew crowds in Madrid, Helsinki, Paris, and Berlin, attended largely by U.S. citizens living overseas.
In Madrid, demonstrators waved placards reading “No Kings,” “No Oligarchs,” and “Trump stop humping Putin’s leg like a dog!”.
In Helsinki, one protester told reporters that friends refused to visit the United States out of fear of its political climate.
“The U.S. looks weak and isolated on the world stage because of this administration,” the protester said.
As chants of “No Kings, No Fascism” echoed through city squares from Europe to America, demonstrators said they hoped to send a clear message — that democracy belongs to the people, not to rulers.
