**Massive "No Kings" Protests Sweep the U.S. in Opposition to Trump’s Expanding Powers**
On Saturday, cities across the United States were engulfed by the energy of large-scale demonstrations dubbed the "No Kings" protests. From New York to Los Angeles, from Miami to Chicago, and throughout the heart of the nation’s capital, hundreds of thousands of Americans gathered to voice their dissent against President Donald Trump’s policies and what many see as his increasingly authoritarian style of governance. Organizers estimated that nearly seven million people participated nationwide, making this one of the largest days of peaceful protest in American history.
**A Nation Takes to the Streets**
In New York City, the epicenter of the demonstrations, Times Square overflowed with people holding signs emblazoned with slogans such as "Democracy not Monarchy" and "The Constitution is not optional." Surrounding streets in all five boroughs were similarly packed, and the iconic chants of "This is what democracy looks like" echoed through the city, accompanied by the steady rhythm of drums. The New York Police Department reported that over 100,000 people joined the protests in the city alone, and notably, there were no protest-related arrests, underscoring the peaceful nature of the events.
Washington, DC, also saw huge crowds converging on the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue. The protests extended to other major cities including Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles, with each location seeing tens of thousands of participants. Despite concerns about unrest, especially after several states preemptively mobilized their National Guard units, the demonstrations remained overwhelmingly calm.
**Voices from the Crowd**
The motivations driving protesters to the streets were as varied as the participants themselves. Beth Zasloff, a New York-based writer and editor, described feeling "outraged and distressed" by what she perceives as a drift toward authoritarianism under the Trump administration. "I care a lot about New York City," she said. "It gives me hope to be out here with many, many other people."
Massimo Mascoli, a retired engineer and immigrant from Italy, pointed to historical parallels. He expressed deep concern that the U.S. was repeating the mistakes of his homeland’s past. "We cannot count on the Supreme Court, we cannot count on the government," Mascoli lamented. "All the legislative, executive, and judiciary are all against the American people right now. So we are fighting." His worries, like those of many others, focused on Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown and cuts to social safety nets, including healthcare.
The diversity of backgrounds among protesters underlined the broad-based anxiety about the direction in which Trump was steering the country. Many cited recent executive orders that have expanded presidential power, the use of the National Guard in domestic situations, and calls for investigations into political opponents as evidence of creeping authoritarianism.
**Political Divides and Accusations of Extremism**
The protests laid bare the deep divisions in American society. Trump supporters and many on the political right dismissed the gatherings as "hate America rallies." In the days leading up to the protests, prominent Trump allies sought to discredit the movement by linking it to the far-left Antifa movement, calling the demonstrations a threat to public order.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, for example, activated the state’s National Guard, citing a "planned Antifa-linked demonstration" in Austin. Despite these warnings, the Austin protest, which drew about 30,000 people, was peaceful throughout the day. Virginia’s Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin also put the state National Guard on alert, though no troops ultimately appeared at the events.
Kansas Senator Roger Marshall echoed concerns about potential violence, telling CNN, "We’ll have to get the National Guard out. Hopefully it’ll be peaceful. I doubt it." Yet, across the country, the overwhelming majority of protests proceeded without incident.
**Rebuttals from Protest Leaders and Elected Officials**
Organizers and participants strongly contested the characterization of the demonstrations as anti-American or violent. Speaking to the crowd in Washington, DC, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders declared, "We’re not here because we hate America, we’re here because we love America." His comments were met with cheers and applause from thousands of assembled protesters.
Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut shared footage of the enormous turnout in his home state, writing, "Breathtaking. This is why today will likely go down as the biggest day of peaceful protest in our nation’s