What is “no kings” protest? Significance explained amid nationwide rally

Throughout the United States, millions of protesters have recently protested under the “No Kings” movement, a national protest movement which aims to restore democracy, constitutional rights and limit executive power.

The slogan has developed very quickly into one of the biggest organized expressions of civic resistance in the United States. No Kings protests have occurred in almost every state.

The expression No Kings has its origins in America's founding principles. The people behind and part of the movement say that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are the bases of their protest. They believe that the power in the United States is derived from the people and not from any one leader.

If you believe 7 million ‘No Kings’ protesters were all paid, then you probably believe windmills cause cancer, Mexico paid for the wall, the Revolutionary Army took over the airports. bleach cures COVID, Trump’s golf scores are real, and Melania still lives with him. pic.twitter.com/9jM8uyfO7n

— Canada Hates Trump (@AntiTrumpCanada) October 20, 2025

According to Distractify, the essence of the movement is frustration over what the protestors view as an expansion of federal overreach and neglect of civil liberties.

The protestors express a variety of issues, including immigration, the national guard being sent to assist in domestic affairs, education, and environmental protection. Many participants also express concern that Trump's language about serving beyond two terms and increasing influence over political entities indicates an authoritarian trend.

People get together in huge numbers as political leaders react to the protest

In sizable urban centers like Washington, DC, New York, and Los Angeles, crowds of hundreds of thousands of people came together peacefully and with signs that stated “No Kings, No Tyrants” and “Power to the People.”

Organizers believe over 2,600 events occurred nationwide as attendance could’ve surpassed 4 million people, one of the largest one-day protests since the 1970s. Smaller rallies even occurred in conservative locales, illustrating the movement’s more widespread political spectrum.

Political leaders and other public figures have reacted vehemently. Officials at the White House called the protests politically motivated, and some Republican lawmakers called them “anti-American.”

🚨BREAKING: Trump is clearly bothered by the massive No Kings rally and it’s 7 MILLION attendees: “…it looks like it was paid by Soros. It was very small and ineffective.”

No one was paid Donald. We hate you for FREE.
pic.twitter.com/dT4XTKK6g2

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) October 20, 2025

Nevertheless, the protesters and civil rights advocates contend the protests are thoroughly patriotic, based on the very principles founded by the United States: free speech, accountability, and government by consent.

After announcing these demonstrations in support of the aspiring candidates, Senator Bernie Sanders and various public figures spoke from stages at rallies, simultaneously characterizing the demonstrations as a defense of democracy.

"This is about a handful of the wealthiest people on earth who, in their insatiable greed, have hijacked our economy and our political system in order to enrich themselves at the expense of working families throughout this country," Bernie Sanders during the protest.

Although officials warned of possible unrest, police agencies in several states described the demonstrations as generally peaceful. At many events, music, dancing and art were part of a message of hope rather than division.