On Saturday, October 18, 2025, the United States witnessed a massive wave of coordinated demonstrations under the banner “No Kings.” Organizers reported that millions of citizens mobilized across all 50 states, participating in protests held in more than 2,600 locations nationwide. These widespread actions were intended to voice profound disapproval regarding the perceived deviation of President Donald Trump’s administration from the foundational principles of popular rule, according to the participants.
Spearheaded by left-leaning groups, notably the organization “Indivisible,” the movement framed its actions as intrinsically American. Leah Greenberg, co-founder of “Indivisible,” articulated this sentiment, stating plainly: “There is nothing more American than rising up against a king.” Demonstrators, many of whom adopted yellow as a distinguishing color, converged in major metropolitan hubs, including San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and Atlanta. Reports indicated a high degree of coordination on the morning of the protest, featuring organized street closures and the distribution of informational materials.
The primary drivers fueling these protests stemmed from the growing dissatisfaction among progressive circles concerning the executive branch's policies. Specific grievances included immigration raids, the deployment of the National Guard into cities governed by Democrats, and the announced possibility of dispatching military forces to Chicago. Key organizers, such as co-founder Ezra Levin, along with high-profile political supporters like Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, asserted that the administration's current trajectory lacked majority support among the American populace.
The political response to the demonstrations was swift and sharp. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson characterized the gatherings as a “parade of hate against America,” alleging that the protesters maintained connections with “Antifa.” Addressing the situation, President Trump offered a direct denial of the movement's central accusation, stating: “They call me a king – I am not a king.” It is worth noting that this was not an isolated incident; similar nationwide actions occurred previously on June 14, drawing millions of participants to approximately 2,000 separate protests.
These events underscore a deep societal rift regarding the balance of power in the nation. The mobilization efforts behind the October 18 protests were substantial, highlighted by a $1 million media campaign financed by the organization Home of the Brave. Furthermore, the protests garnered international attention, with small solidarity demonstrations taking place outside American embassies in both London and Spain, reflecting the global interest in the state of American democratic institutions.