White House Claims 9 Million Strong No Kings Rallies Nationwide Are Fake
Massive protests under the “No Kings” banner took place Saturday across nearly every major U.S. city, including New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis, with organizers opposing Trump administration policies on the Iran war, federal immigration enforcement, and cost of living. The third iteration of No Kings rallies drew enormous crowds to iconic locations including the Lincoln Memorial, Times Square, and state capitols, with the previous October rally drawing nearly seven million participants nationally. American expats also demonstrated in Paris, London, and Lisbon, with signs calling Trump a “fascist” and “war criminal.”
The Minnesota rally held special significance after federal immigration agents killed two American citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, in January, sparking nationwide outrage over Trump’s immigration tactics. Thousands gathered outside the Minnesota State Capitol, and musician Bruce Springsteen performed his protest anthem “Streets of Minneapolis” to condemn immigration enforcement policies. Protesters across all demonstrations carried signs and effigies demanding the removal and arrest of Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other administration officials.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson dismissed the protests as “Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions,” claiming reporters were the only people interested in covering them and suggesting the events were manufactured by “leftist funding networks.” This characterization contradicts the scale and geographic breadth of Saturday’s demonstrations, which extended from major metropolitan areas to small towns like Shelbyville, Kentucky, with populations under 10,000.
Since taking office in January, Trump has dramatically expanded executive power through orders dismantling federal government functions and deployed National Guard troops to U.S. cities over state governors’ objections. The administration has also directed law enforcement to prosecute perceived political enemies, moves Trump describes as necessary crisis management while dismissing accusations of authoritarian behavior. Critics warn these actions violate constitutional limits and threaten American democracy, though Trump denies comparisons to monarchical rule.