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By Aliss Higham
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Senator John Fetterman has suggested nationwide "No Kings" protests scheduled for this weekend are likely encouraging Democrats not to agree to a funding deal to fully reopen government.
Why It Matters
No Kings protests are taking place across the United States on Saturday, March 28. Protesters have said they are standing in opposition to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics as well as the war in Iran.
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Meanwhile, an ongoing partial government shutdown has caused chaos at some airports, with tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents working without pay, triggering staffing shortages.
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What To Know
Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, appeared on Fox News' Hannity on Wednesday night and called on Democrats to "do the right thing" and "put the country ahead of the party."
"Now there's a huge rally, another No Kings kinds of protests," he told host Sean Hannity. "So now it's also probably motivating some people in my party that they might be afraid to reopen now because they're demanding these kinds of extremes, that's what they think is the solution, that there was ever going to be a solution. There never had any leverage to force any kinds of changes."
He also urged Democrats to reach a deal with Republicans, saying the partial shutdown has "gone on way too long."
No Kings Protests
No Kings protests are scheduled across the U.S. on Saturday in opposition to the Trump administration. More than 3,000 local-level events are listed on the movement’s official website. The first No Kings protests took place June 2025.
"Just months ago, millions of people took to the streets across thousands of events to say no to Trump’s abuses of power, and today that movement is only growing," said Ezra Levin, co-executive Director of Indivisible, one of the groups that organized the protests. "With every ICE raid, every escalation abroad, and every abuse of power at home, Americans are rising up in opposition to Trump’s attempt to rule through fear and force. Each day Trump crosses a new red line, and more people are deciding they’ve had enough**."**
Partial Government Shutdown
Democrats and Republicans have failed in recent weeks to reach a funding deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Funding for the department, which pays TSA agents and also oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), lapsed in February.
On Wednesday, a Republican proposal that would restart most ICE operations without immigration reforms was rejected by Democrats, who pushed for funding tied to stricter oversight of enforcement. Both sides dismissed each other’s plans. Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote in line with Republicans in favor of the proposal.
Fetterman has made a habit of breaking with his party in Congress on a range of issues recently. He was one of only two Democrats to vote to confirm new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who was appointed after Kristi Noem was fired by President Donald Trump earlier this month. He also voted against Democrats on an Iran war powers resolution in a 53-47 vote on Tuesday.
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