‘No Kings’ protests against Trump planned nationwide, in what the GOP calls ‘hate America’ rallies
WASHINGTON (AP) — Protesting the direction of the country under President Donald Trump, people will gather Saturday in the nation’s capital and communities across the U.S. for “No Kings” demonstrations — what the president’s Republican Party is calling “Hate America” rallies.
This is the third mass mobilization since Trump’s return to the White House and it is expected to be the largest. It comes against the backdrop of a government shutdown that not only has closed federal programs and services, but is testing the core balance of power as an aggressive executive confronts Congress and the courts in ways that organizers warn is a slide toward American authoritarianism.
Trump himself is away from Washington at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.
“They say they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said in a Fox News interview airing early Friday, before he departed for a $1 million-per-plate MAGA Inc. super PAC fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. Protests are expected nearby Saturday.
While the earlier protests this year — against Elon Musk’s cuts in spring, then to counter Trump’s military parade in June — drew crowds, organizers say this one is building a more unified opposition party movement. Top Democrats such as Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders are joining in what organizers view an antidote to Trump’s actions, from the administration’s clampdown on free speech to its military-style immigration raids.
“There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power,” said Ezra Levin, a co-founder of Indivisible, among the key organizers.
As Republicans and the White House dismiss the protests as a rally of radicals, Levin said their own sign-up numbers are growing. More than 2,600 rallies are planned in cities large and small, organized by hundreds of coalition partners. They said rallies are being planned within a one-hour drive for most Americans.
Republicans have have sought to portray participants in Saturday’s rallies as far outside the mainstream of American politics, and a main reason for the prolonged government shutdown, now in its 18th day.
From the White House to Capitol Hill, GOP leaders disparaged the rallygoers as “communists” and “Marxists.”
They say Democratic leaders, including Schumer, are beholden to the far-left flank and willing to keep the government shut down to appease those liberal forces.
“I encourage you to watch — we call it the Hate America rally — that will happen Saturday,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
“Let’s see who shows up for that,” Johnson said listing off groups including “antifa types,” people who “hate capitalism” and “Marxists in full display.”
Democrats have refused to vote on legislation that would reopen government as they demand funding for health care. Republicans say they are willing to discuss the issue later, only after government reopens.
But for many Democrats, the government closure is also a way to stand up to Trump, and try to push the presidency back to its place in the U.S. system as a co-equal branch of the government.
In a Facebook post, Sanders of Vermont, himself a former presidential contender, said, “It’s a love America rally.”
“It’s rally of millions of people all over this country who believe in our Constitution, who believe in American freedom and,” he said, pointing at the GOP leadership, “are not going to let you and Donald Trump turn this country into an authoritarian society.”
The situation is a potential turnaround from just six months ago, when Democrats and their allies were divided and despondent, unsure about how best to respond to Trump’s return to the White House. Schumer in particular was berated by his party for allowing an earlier government funding bill to sail through the Senate without using it to challenge Trump.
In April, the national march against Trump and Elon Musk had 1,300 registered locations. In June, for the first “No Kings” day, there were 2,100 registered locations. The march Saturday will have more than 2,600 registered locations, Levin said.
“What we are seeing from the Democrats is some spine,” Levin said. “The worst thing the Democrats could do right now is surrender.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he wasn’t sure if he would join the rallygoers Saturday, but he took issue with the Republicans’ characterization of the events.
“What’s hateful is what happened on January 6th,” he said, referring to the 2021 Capitol attack, as Trump’s supporters stormed the building to protest Joe Biden’s election victory. “What you’ll see this weekend is what patriotism looks like, people showing up to express opposition to the extremism that Donald Trump has been unleashing on the American people.”
“I’m not a king,” Trump says ahead of nationwide No Kings protests
President Trump told Fox Business he’s “not a king” ahead of nationwide No Kings protests planned for Saturday while insisting the ongoing government shutdown gives him power to unilaterally cut federal programs.
Why it matters: Top Republicans have repeatedly called the protests “hate America” rallies, although organizers say the event is simply an opportunity for Americans to display their discontent with the Trump administration.
What they’re saying: “They’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo in an interview clip released Friday.
- Trump added that Democrats could stay out of the government “forever,” so that the president could continue cutting “Democrat” priorities, such as welfare programs.
- “They made one mistake, they didn’t realize that. That gives me the right to cut programs that Republicans never wanted. We’re doing that, and we’re cutting them permanently.”
- Article I of the Constitution gives Congress — not the president — the power to set government spending priorities.
Driving the news: Over 2,500 No Kings events are planned across all 50 states this Saturday, sponsored by groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers, 50501, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible and MoveOn.
Friction point: Top Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have preemptively dismissed the protests as a “hate America” rally run by “antifa.”
- “Not a single person is going to be standing in their way of their right to exercise, assemble and protest peacefully,” Johnson said Friday.
- “That alone is a profound testament to the strength of our republic, to the beauty of America. They’re decrying the country that allows them to engage in this activity.”
The other side: “Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down,” No Kings organizers previously told Axios’ April Rubin.
- “Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he’s attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings.”
Flashback: Trump — who, himself, said he would be a “dictator” only on “day 1” if reelected — denied acting like a dictator earlier this year when he sent National Guard troops into blue cities without the consent of the local governments.
- “I don’t like a dictator. I’m not a dictator. I’m a man with great common sense and a smart person,” he said.
- The official White House X account was heavily criticized in February for posting a fake photo of the president on a parody cover of Time magazine wearing a crown with the phrase “LONG LIVE THE KING!”
What to know about Oct. 18 “No Kings” protests
“No Kings” protest events planned for Oct. 18
No Kings protest organizers expect millions to gather across the nation on Saturday, Oct. 18 in an event Republican lawmakers decry as “a hate America rally.”
Why it matters: The latest round of protests comes amid growing frustration about the ongoing government shutdown and widespread opposition to President Trump’s military crackdown on Democratic-led cities across America.
State of play: More than 2,700 events are planned across all 50 states as of Friday, organizers said.
- “Together, millions will send a clear and unmistakable message: we are a nation of equals, and our country will not be ruled by fear or force,” their statement said.
- Participating groups include the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers, 50501, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible and MoveOn.
The other side: The recurring movement against the Trump administration has garnered sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers who say Democrats are protesting as a ploy during the government shutdown.
- “The Trump Administration is focused on stopping the scourge of left-wing violence plaguing American communities,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement. “Left-wing protestors can beclown themselves by lawfully protesting the alternate reality they live in, but violence or breaking the law will not be tolerated.”
- On Friday, Trump told Fox Business that he’s “not a king.”
What they’re saying: Republican leadership, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), called the protest “a hate America rally.”
- Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) said the National Guard will need to respond to protesters. “Hopefully it will be peaceful — I doubt it,” he said. The White House did not answer whether Trump plans to deploy National Guard troops to any protest sites Saturday.
Friction point: Johnson, in a Fox News appearance, said the protests were being put on by “the pro-Hamas wing and the Antifa people.”
- “It’s being told to us that they won’t be able to reopen the government until after that rally because they can’t face their rabid base,” he said after criticizing House Democrats.
Reality check: Johnson canceled a third week of House votes amid the ongoing shutdown.
- “The fact that they’re trying to smear millions and millions of Americans who are fed up with the dictatorial actions of the Trump administration as the reason why they themselves are unable to govern is just another demonstration of their own panic, their own desperation, and the fact that they know that they are on the losing end of this fight,” Leah Greenberg, co-founder of organizing group Indivisible, told Axios.
Zoom in: “Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down,” No Kings organizers said.
- “Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he’s attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings.”
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said on Bluesky he looked forward to No Kings Day, saying the GOP was “the same kind of weasels who would’ve called George Washington & America’s revolutionaries ‘terrorists.'”
- He wrote that Republicans “spend their days sucking up to King Trump & demonizing peaceful protest just as some in America sought to appease King George III.”
Behind the scenes: Home of the Brave, a nonprofit that says it amplifies those “harmed by the Trump administration,” launched a $1 million ad campaign to promote Saturday’s rallies in local and national news outlets.
- The No Kings website said the Trump administration has “doubled down” since the June protests.
Flashback: The first No Kings rally took place June 14 in response to a military parade Trump planned for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and the president’s 79th birthday.
- The protests are part of a wider movement against the Trump administration including Tesla Takedown in March, Hands Off! and 50501 in April, May Day, Free America on Independence Day and “Workers over Billionaires” on Labor Day.
The anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protests are back, expected to fill Oregon cities with demonstrators
Cries of “No kings!” will return to Oregon on Saturday.
Four months after tens of thousands of demonstrators marched across Portland and many other U.S. cities to protest President Donald Trump’s aggressive exercise of executive power, a second round is scheduled to take place.
More than 50 cities and towns in Oregon are expected to see demonstrations, according to 50501, a national progressive activist group that is organizing the event in partnership with Indivisible, another activist organization.
The protests come as the Trump administration continues its efforts to deploy federalized National Guard troops to Portland, which the administration insists is necessary to protect the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in the city.
The largest “No Kings” protests in Oregon likely will be in Portland, and the city certainly will have the largest number of them, with some 25 planned. But others will take place across the state, in Bend, Klamath Falls, Salem, along the coast and in many other places.
A map of protests across the country Saturday is available on 50501’s Mobilize page.
Where you can find the biggest “No Kings” protests in Oregon:
Portland
Perhaps the foremost “No Kings” protest in Portland is expected to start around noon at the Battleship Oregon Memorial in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. After listening to speeches, protesters will undertake a roughly 2-mile march through downtown Portland, 50501’s Portland chapter said in a statement.
Beaverton
A protest is set to happen in Beaverton from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Beaverton City Park, 12500 SW 4th St. The event will feature a rally with music, speeches and a march.
Salem
- Oregon State Capitol: Protesters will come together near the Sprague Fountain along Center Street NE at noon.
- Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem: The protest starts at 12:30 p.m. at 5090 Center St. NE.
Eugene
Protesters are set to gather at Wayne Lyman Morse United States Courthouse between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m at 405 East 8th Avenue between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
And here’s a selection of other “No Kings” protests in Oregon:
Silverton Progressives
- Noon – 2 p.m., 626 McClaine St. in Silverton in front of the closed Rite Aid
Woodburn
- Noon – 3 p.m., 1775 Mt Hood Ave. in Woodburn
Dallas
- Noon – 1 p.m., South Main Street and East Ellendale Avenue
Newberg
- 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Newberg flag pole, 1003 E First St. in Newberg
McMinnville
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wortman Park McDaniel Lane Shelter, 2250 NE McDaniel Lane in McMinnville
Lebanon
- 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Academy Street in Lebanon
Oakridge
- 9 –11 a.m., The Hitching Post, 47851 Oregon Route 58 in Oakridge
Corvallis
- Noon – 3 p.m., Benton County Circuit Court, 120 NW Fourth St. in Corvallis
Albany
- 2 – 4 p.m., Southwest Ellsworth Street and Southwest Fourth Avenue in Albany
Other “No Kings” protests planned in the Portland area:
Gresham
- 10 a.m. – Noon, Gresham City Hall, 1333 NW Eastman Parkway
Sandy
- Noon – 2 p.m., Highway 26 and Industrial Way
Sherwood
- 9 a.m. – noon, Southwest First Street and Southwest Pine Street
Sherwood Pedestrian Bridge
- 10 a.m. – noon, Pacific Highway 99W and Southwest Sunset Boulevard Pedestrian Bridge
Hillsboro
- 10 a.m. – noon, Schute Park, SE 10th Ave. to SE Baseline Street
Lake Oswego
- 10 a.m. – noon, Kayak Launch and public access, 232 N State St.
West Linn
- 10 a.m. – noon, 22000 Salamo Road
Damascus
- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Oregon 212 and Southeast Foster Road
Tigard
- 10 – 11:30 a.m., Universal Plaza, 9100 SW Burnham St.
Tigard/King City
- 10 – 11:30 a.m., Durham Road and Pacific Highway with satellite locations spreading across four miles of 99W at Main Street, SW Walnut Street and SW McDonald Street
Estacada
- 11 a.m. – noon, Estacada City Hall, 475 SE Main St. and Highway 224
Oregon City
- Noon – 2 p.m., Oregon City Public Library, 606 John Adams St.
Happy Valley
- Noon – 2 p.m., 9085 SE Sunnyside Road in Clackamas County
Wilsonville
- 1 – 3 p.m., Southwest Wilsonville Road and Town Center Loop East
Milwaukie
- 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Milwaukie Bay Park, 1211 SE McLoughlin Blvd.
Canby
- 2 – 3:30 p.m., Oregon 99E and SW Berg Parkway
Forest Grove
- 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., 3034 Pacific Ave.
Scappoose
- Noon – 2 p.m., Totem Pole, 51875 SW Old Portland Road in Scappoose
Hood River
- 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Downtown Salmon Fountain, 115 State St.
“No Kings” protest planned on the Oregon coast:
“No Kings” protests are planned up and down the coast from Astoria to Gold Beach.
Astoria
- Noon – 2 p.m., Astoria Armory, 1636 Exchange St. in Astoria
Seaside
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Seaside Outlet Mall, 1111 N Roosevelt Drive in Seaside
Cannon Beach
- 12:30 – 2 p.m., Whale Park, 288 N Hemlock St. in Cannon Beach
Manzanita
- Noon – 2 p.m., Laneda Avenue and U.S. 101 junction in Manzanita
Tillamook County
- Noon – 2 p.m., Sue H Elmore Kayak Park, Ivy Avenue and Front Street in Tillamook
Cloverdale
- Noon – 2 p.m., U.S. 101 and Parkway Drive in Cloverdale
Lincoln City
- Noon – 3 p.m., Congregational Church, 2435 NW Oar Place in Lincoln City
Newport
- 1 – 3 p.m., Newport City Hall, 169 SW Coast Highway in Newport
Florence City Hall
- Noon – 2 p.m., Florence City Hall, 250 U.S. 101 in Florence
Florence
- Noon – 2 p.m., 1670 Highway 126 in Florence
Yachats
- Noon – 2 p.m., 501 U.S.101 in Yachats
Coos Bay
- Noon – 2 p.m., Coos Bay Boardwalk, 200 S Bayshore Drive in Coos Bay
Bandon
- Noon – 2 p.m., U.S. 101 and Oregon 42S
Curry County
- Noon – 2 p.m., Curry County Circuit Court, 29821 Ellensburg Ave. in Gold Beach
“No Kings” protests will be held in Bend, Sisters and other central Oregon cities:
Madras
- 2 – 4 p.m., 8444 SW Crescent Place in Terrebonne
Redmond
- 10 – 11:30 a.m., 732 SW Sixth St. in Redmond
Sisters
- 10 – 11 a.m., Wild Stallion rally corner, U.S. 20 and South Larch Street in Sisters
Bend
- 2 – 5 p.m., Drake Park, 777 NW Riverside Blvd. in Bend
La Pine
- Noon – 2 p.m., U.S. 97 and First Street in La Pine
Prineville
- Noon – 1 p.m., Pioneer Park, 450 NE Third St. in Prineville
Lakeview
- 10 a.m. – noon, 513 Center St. in Lakeview
Jefferson County
- 2 – 4 p.m., NW Maple Street in Madras
“No Kings” protests planned in southern Oregon:
Six cities in southern Oregon will hold “No Kings” protests.
Roseburg
- Noon – 1:30 p.m., 2460 NW Stewart Parkway in Roseburg
Elkton
- 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., 14971 Umpqua Highway in Elkton
Grants Pass
- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., 500 NW Sixth St. in Grants Pass
Ashland
- 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Downtown plaza, 26 N Main St. in Ashland
Medford
- 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., 1320 E McAndrews Road in Medford
Klamath Falls
- Noon – 2 p.m., S Sixth Street and Washburn Way
“No Kings” protests planned in eastern Oregon
Six cities in eastern Oregon will hold “No Kings” protests.
Heppner
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Heppner City Park, Main Street and Church Street in Heppner
Baker City
- 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Campbell Street and Cherry Street in Baker City
Harney County
- Noon – 2 p.m., West A Street and North Broadway Avenue in Burns
Pendleton
- Noon – 2 p.m., Goad Road overpass in Pendleton
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