On Saturday, the “No Kings Day” protests swept the nation. Over five million people marched in over 2,000 cities across the United States. They garnered headlines mainly for their numbers and not their behavior. The protests were peaceful and marred only by limited violence happening to protestors.
The No Kings Day protests will likely be seen as underwhelming by some observers. They did not dominate the news cycle like earlier riots in Los Angeles did for several days. Trump will remain president and likely pass his legislative agenda in the next few months. But with these caveats, the protests will still likely be remembered as a positive step forward for anti-Trump Americans during the president’s second term.
What worked
The protests had everything that could have helped the Democratic Party. They were well-attended by even the most conservative estimates. Observers have fretted that the Trump resistance has been much weaker and more subdued ever since Trump won a second term with increased support among minorities and young people. They bemoaned the lack of a Women’s March-sized protest around the inauguration. The numbers at the No Kings protest have quieted many of these worries.
Saturday’s protests were also united and organized. Protestors did not complain about Hakeem Jeffries or become distracted by the specifics of Gaza or immigration policy. They focused clearly on the authoritarian tendencies of the current president, who tends to support every new possible avenue for expanding his power. The message of protestors was clear, concise, and obvious to every American.
Some protests overshadowed
But the most important attribute of the protests was also its most tragic. The No Kings Day protests occurred on the backdrop of an assassination of a Minnesota state representative and his wife by a crazed gunman, who was explicitly targeting Democratic lawmakers. State officials originally planned to cancel demonstrations out of an abundance of caution. But protestors in Minnesota and other cities went ahead despite the risks. Their decision showed that violent opponents of free American expression would not silence the right of the people to gather and protest. This approach is more powerful and American than any other cause protestors could have been specifically agitating for.
The Democratic Party is still trying to find its footing after the shocking loss of all three branches of government in 2024. But the No Kings Day protests are a start to what will likely be a successful anti-Trump push in late 2025 and throughout 2026. The party has started to build momentum and unite on a vague but powerful agenda to oppose the president. Time will tell if they will be able to turn such anger into the upset victory they are certainly capable of.
