Organizers of the No Kings protests say they expect their largest turnout yet on Saturday, mobilized by concerns that include the administration’s immigration enforcement and the war in Iran. The coalition, made up of progressive activists, is calling the day “the biggest protest in US history” on its website and urging people to attend local events to show opposition to what it describes as the regime’s “brutality at home and abroad.”
No Kings has scheduled more than 3,000 events across the United States, with additional demonstrations planned in countries including Mexico and Canada. This will be the group’s third nationwide wave of protests; its organizers assert that President Trump’s actions resemble those of a monarch rather than a democratically elected leader.
The White House dismissed the planned demonstrations. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson characterized them as “Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions,” saying only reporters assigned to cover the events care about them and accusing the movement of being backed by major left-wing donors.
No Kings says its last nationwide effort in October drew roughly 5 million participants across about 2,600 demonstrations.
Among affiliated groups is Third Act, founded by Vermont activist Bill McKibben, which organizes older Americans. McKibben said intergenerational solidarity is central to the movement and noted many older people are willing to join younger protesters. “If you’ve been to any of the No Kings protests that have happened so far, you’ll see a lot of people with hairlines like mine,” he quipped. He added that older Americans, having lived through many presidencies, view the current moment as the closest the country has come to authoritarian rule. “This is a very weird moment in our political history,” he said, adding that while past presidents he disliked never seemed fascist, he believes that is the danger the country is beginning to face now.
President Trump has repeatedly rejected comparisons to fascism or monarchy and has mocked the demonstrations. Of the October protests he said they were “a joke” and not representative of the country, though he has also leaned into royal imagery by sharing an AI-generated video of himself wearing a crown.
Dana Glazer, leader of Visibility Brigade, based in the New Jersey suburbs, echoed concerns about authoritarian tendencies and emphasized the role of community in resisting isolation, which he called fertile ground for fascism. Glazer and members of his group plan to protest Saturday in Paramus, where Visibility Brigade began. He said gathering in person reinforces dignity, respect and connection, giving people a sense of collective power. Glazer hopes events like No Kings will inspire ongoing peaceful civic engagement beyond large, organized demonstrations. He criticized a broader lack of civic participation, saying many people have been trained to view voting every few years as sufficient civic duty, which he argues has contributed to the country’s current crisis.
