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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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Prominent figures within President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement have reacted with anger ahead of anti-Trump "No Kings" demonstrations that are taking place across the country on Saturday, with House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, dubbing it the “Hate America rally.”
Why It Matters
Millions of demonstrators are expected to take part in "No Kings" rallies in towns and cities across the nation, following similar demonstrations that happened in June.
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Trump has said that crime and unrest in major American cities including Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, justifies the deployment of National Guard troops against the wishes of local mayors. Senior Democrats are treating Saturday’s demonstrations as a show of strength and are urging participants to be peaceful amid fears disorder could be used to justify an administration crackdown.
What To Know
Over 3,000 demonstrations have been organized as part of "No Kings" on Saturday, which organizers say were called to show that “America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.”
The demonstrations have been condemned by senior Republicans including Johnson, who shared an image on X indicating the "Communist Party USA" was supporting the "No Kings" rally in New York City.
“Now we know Saturday’s events are actually funded by Soros, and sponsored by the Communist Party USA, among other far Left and communist groups. How could there any more appropriate nickname than the 'Hate America Rally?'" he wrote.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, has endorsed the demonstrations, leading Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, to write on X: “Nothing says ‘we care about democracy’ like showing up to a rally sponsored by communists. Chuck Schumer is desperately trying to appease the far Left crowd of his party to cling to his leadership role before AOC [Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] inevitably replaces him.”
According to CNN, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed the "No Kings" demonstrations were “part of Antifa,” a loose antifascist coalition that Trump recently designated as a terrorist organization. The outlet also quoted Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as claiming the demonstrations would contain the “most unhinged in the Democratic Party.”
The demonstrations have been welcomed by senior Democrats, with former Vice President and 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Friday commenting via X: “In our country, the power is with the people. Tomorrow, October 18, I encourage you to join your neighbors in peaceful protest at a No Kings event.”
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What People Are Saying
Conservative commentator Laura Loomer, a Trump ally, wrote on X on Friday: “No Kings protesters were testing their massive 'Impeach Trump Again' sign on the National Mall today with life sized puppets of Donald Trump, JD Vance, [Secretary] Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller in chains. The radical left’s message is clear: ‘Get Trump and his supporters at all costs.’”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer posted to X: “Today’s No Kings rallies are an affirmation of what America is all about. We are a democracy. We have no kings, despite the fact that Trump has even said he wants to become one.”
Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with the Democratic Party, wrote on X on Friday: “I am looking forward to joining millions of Americans across the country at a ‘No Kings’ rally tomorrow. I’ll be speaking here in Washington, DC. I hope to see you there.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X: “I urge our nation to use this weekend's No Kings marches as a declaration of independence against the tyranny and lawlessness currently running this country. Use your voice. ACT PEACEFULLY. Protect yourself and your community. THERE ARE NO KINGS IN THE UNITED STATES.”
On its website, "No Kings" states: “The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty. Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and bigger. ‘NO KINGS’ is more than just a slogan; it is the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, shouted by millions, carried on posters and chants, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.”
What Happens Next?
The size of Saturday's demonstrations will impact the strength of the message sent to the White House. Any disorder could possibly be seized on by the Trump administration as justification for a law-and-order crackdown, including the deployment of additional National Guard troops.
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