Americans flooded streets across the United States on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump’s leadership during the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations. Organizers held more than 2,600 rallies in major cities such as Washington, New York, Boston, and Chicago, as well as in hundreds of smaller towns.
By midday, thousands gathered in Times Square and Washington, D.C., chanting “Trump must go now!” and waving signs condemning his immigration policies. Protesters carried messages like “Resist Fascism” and “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting.”
The demonstrations resembled street festivals in many areas, featuring marching bands, a massive banner displaying “We the People,” and even protesters in frog costumes, a symbol of resistance in Portland, Oregon.
The movement marks the third nationwide mobilisation since Trump returned to the White House. It follows a government shutdown that halted federal services and fueled tension between the executive branch, Congress, and the courts. Protest leaders warned the crisis reflects a dangerous drift toward authoritarianism.
Trump Dismisses Protests as “Hate America” Rallies
Members of the Republican Party branded the demonstrations as “Hate America” rallies, claiming they were driven by anti-Trump sentiment.
President Trump, who spent the weekend at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, dismissed accusations of authoritarianism in a Fox News interview.
“They say they’re calling me a king. I’m not a king,” he said before attending a $1 million-per-plate fundraiser at his private club.
Protests also took place near Trump’s Florida estate, where demonstrators gathered to voice their opposition to his administration.
Earlier rallies this year targeted Elon Musk’s job cuts and Trump’s military parade, but organizers said Saturday’s event unified a broader opposition. Democratic leaders, including Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Bernie Sanders, joined protesters to denounce what they called a crackdown on free speech and aggressive immigration raids.
Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, one of the organizing groups, praised the mobilization.
“No authoritarian regime can survive patriotic people-power,” Levin said.
Global Protests Show Solidarity With US Demonstrators
Supporters overseas held solidarity rallies in European cities, where hundreds of US expatriates gathered to show unity with protesters back home.
In Madrid, demonstrators from Democrats Abroad chanted slogans and waved signs reading “No Kings,” “No Oligarchs,” and “Trump Stop Humping Putin’s Leg Like a Dog.”
In Helsinki, one protester said friends refused to visit the United States due to safety fears.
“The US looks weaker on the world stage,” the protester said. “That’s the result of the Trump administration.”
Other European rallies echoed similar themes, with participants carrying signs such as “No Faux-King Way” and “No Kings — Except Bad Bunny.”
The coordinated global protests underscored growing international concern over the United States’ political direction and reaffirmed solidarity with those challenging Trump’s administration at home.
