Nationwide Anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ Protests Set for Saturday: What to Know

[Thiệu Ngô]

Millions of protesters on Saturday are expected to join “No Kings” demonstrations nationwide in opposition to the Trump administration's overall agenda, including its deployment of military troops in U.S. cities.

By Mandy Taheri

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Newsweek regarding the upcoming demonstrations: "What protest?"

Why It Matters

The "No Kings" movement has previously organized mass rallies against the policies of President Donald Trump's White House, coordinating 1,800 protests across the United States on June 14, the birthday shared by Trump and the U.S. Army, as the military branch marked 250 years in the spring.

While many of the protests remained peaceful, there were some instances of violence, including a vehicular assault in Virginia.

The protests will arrive as the federal government shutdown approaches its third week.

What To Know

The organizer’s website says that “On October 18, millions of us are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.” There are hundreds of protests planned, with at least one in every state, according to the website’s event tracker.

The "No Kings" movement aims to mobilize protesters "to defend democratic norms and reject authoritarianism," according to its website. The campaign said that Trump’s recent deployment of the National Guard and law enforcement into U.S. cities “isn’t just politics. It’s democracy versus dictatorship. And together, we’re choosing democracy.”

The protests come amid a broader immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, with the Department of Homeland Security pledging to deport people who do not have proper documentation. Trump has authorized the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops to Chicago and previously to Los Angeles.

Earlier this month, the grassroots "No Kings" movement hosted a 90-minute safety and security training to help protest hosts "practice de-escalation for any scenarios that may arise." Its website emphasizes that the campaign is committed to “nonviolent action,” and encourages participants not to bring “weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted.”

Many Democratic members of Congress have expressed support for the "No Kings" protests, while some Republican leaders, like House Speaker Mike Johnson, have called them a “hate America rally.”

Where and When Will the Protests Be Held?

Protests are planned across the U.S. on October 18. The timing depends on location, with all the events listed on the "No Kings" website. Large protests are expected in major cities, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Kansas City, New Orleans and San Francisco. Some are scheduled to start in the late morning and others in the early afternoon.

Some of the organized events, like the one in New York City, will be a march and not a rally.

What People Are Saying

Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, in an X post Tuesday: “Hey this is not a moment to stay silent. Oct 18th - No Kings Day - is our chance to show we won't accept the militarization of our citizens, the brazen corruption of the Trump family, and the destruction of our health care.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, in an X post on Tuesday: “Rather than work across the aisle to reopen the government, Senator [Chuck] Schumer and Representative [Hakeem] Jeffries are catering to the same radical groups organizing the 'No Kings' protest on October 18 — groups that have spent weeks pressuring Democrats to shut the government down.”

Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, in an October 10 X post: “No, Speaker Johnson: The No Kings Rally on October 18 is not a 'hate America' rally. Quite the contrary. It’s a rally of millions of people who believe in American freedom and are not going to allow you and President Trump to turn us into an authoritarian country.”

Melanie D’Arrigo, a community organizer who previously ran to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District, in an X post on Wednesday: “’Bend the knee to fascism, or we will make you suffer,’ is exactly why the No Kings protests are so important.”

Senate Republicans, in an October 7 X post: “Senate Democrats refuse to reopen the government before their radical base descends on D.C. to protest President Trump. American families are suffering so Sen. Schumer can appease far-left activists.”

President Donald Trump said during a speech on October 15, in reference to Democrats: "They have their day coming up. I hear very few people are gonna be there, by the way. But they have their day coming up and they want to have their day in the sun."