More than 2,600 rallies erupted across the United States on Saturday as thousands protested President Donald Trump’s rule during the “No Kings” demonstrations. Americans filled streets in Washington, New York, Chicago, and Boston, expressing frustration over what they see as an erosion of democracy.
By midday, thousands crowded Times Square and the National Mall, chanting “Trump must go now!” and waving signs denouncing his immigration policies. Many carried banners reading “Resist Fascism” and “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting.”
The gatherings felt part protest, part celebration. Marching bands played, crowds signed a massive banner featuring the U.S. Constitution’s preamble, and some donned frog costumes, a symbol of resistance that began in Portland, Oregon.
Organisers said this marked the third major mobilisation since Trump’s return to office, unfolding as a government shutdown grips the country. They warned that the president’s confrontations with Congress and the courts signal a drift toward authoritarianism.
Republicans dismissed the rallies as “Hate America” protests, but organisers described them as acts of civic duty and resistance to unchecked power.
Leaders and Activists Unite to Oppose Expanding Executive Power
Trump stayed at Mar-a-Lago in Florida during the protests, where local activists planned demonstrations nearby.
“They call me a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said Friday on Fox News, hours before hosting a $1 million-per-plate fundraiser.
Organisers said this latest wave of rallies unites multiple movements under one cause — opposing executive overreach and defending constitutional checks and balances.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Bernie Sanders joined marchers in several cities. They framed the movement as a pushback against attacks on free speech, civil rights, and immigration protections.
“There is no greater threat to authoritarianism than patriotic people-power,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, one of the groups coordinating the protests.
Previous rallies earlier this year targeted Elon Musk’s corporate cuts and Trump’s planned military parade, but organisers said the “No Kings” movement had become a unifying banner for the American opposition.
Global Demonstrations Show Solidarity With U.S. Protesters
Protests also spread beyond American borders. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Madrid, Helsinki, Paris, and Berlin to stand in solidarity with their U.S. counterparts.
Most attendees were Americans living abroad, joining the coordinated global movement to denounce what they view as authoritarian tendencies in Washington.
In Madrid, protesters waved signs reading “No Kings,” “No Oligarchs,” and “No Kings—Except Bad Bunny.” Others carried placards mocking Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin.
In Helsinki, an American resident described growing unease among Europeans.
“Many of my friends refuse to visit the U.S. now,” she said. “They fear what could happen under this administration.”
Demonstrators abroad echoed a shared message — that democracy demands participation, accountability, and resistance to authoritarian leadership. As one sign in Berlin read:
“No Kings. No Dictators. Just the People.”
