Millions of Americans rallied across all 50 states on Saturday to denounce what they called the rising authoritarianism of President Donald Trump, staging coordinated protests under the banner “No Kings” as the president marked his birthday with a $45 million military parade in the nation’s capital.
In more than 2,000 cities and towns — from urban centers to conservative rural counties — demonstrators filled streets, parks, and overpasses, voicing opposition to the Trump administration’s hardline immigration crackdown, its support for foreign wars, and what many described as a sustained erosion of democratic norms.
The largest crowds were reported in San Francisco, where over 100,000 people marched from the Mission District to City Hall. “This is a huge number of people saying no to fascism, no to authoritarianism, and yes to democracy,” said Dr. Robin Cooper, a psychiatrist and longtime activist. “This feels like the size of marches during the Vietnam era — but this time, it’s everywhere.”
Waving U.S. flags — some inverted in a symbol of distress — along with flags of Palestine, Ukraine, Mexico, and Pride banners, protesters carried handmade signs condemning ICE, mass deportations, and U.S. military involvement abroad. Demonstrations were described as peaceful, though somber, following the fatal shooting of Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband hours earlier. Rallies in that state were called off amid the ongoing investigation.
The protests come at a moment of heightened tension, one day into an escalating Israel-Iran conflict and a week after mass arrests of undocumented workers triggered walkouts and demonstrations in cities like Los Angeles. Protesters drew connections between domestic crackdowns and foreign policy decisions, accusing the Trump administration of weaponizing fear and racism.
Susan Rosen, a healthcare worker marching in San Francisco, said her daughter had recently lost her job in public health due to budget cuts. “We may be losing our future scientists and teachers. This administration overwhelms the public so we can’t keep up,” she said.
The Trump administration has defended the military parade as a celebration of strength and national pride. But to the protesters, it was a symbol of the very authoritarianism they marched to reject.
“We don’t have a king,” said Brian O’Loughlin, a protester in Washington, D.C. “This country was founded on resistance to tyranny. That’s what this is.”