'No Kings' protests sweep US as Trump stages $45 million military parade
As tanks roll through Washington's streets in celebration of the US Army's 250th anniversary, millions across the country are expected to gather in protest against what they describe as the authoritarian excesses of Donald Trump's second term. The nationwide demonstrations, under the banner 'No Kings', are taking place in roughly 2,000 locations, from major cities to rural counties, in what may become the most significant mobilisation since Trump's re-election.
The protests are timed to coincide with the President's birthday and the military parade. The parade features 6,000 Army troops, 49 aircraft, 128 military vehicles, and even 25 horses. The cost is projected between $25 million and $45 million.
Though the Pentagon says the parade marks the Army's historic milestone, organisers claim it is being used as a 'vanity display' by Trump. The event, which Trump had wanted to stage during his first term after witnessing France's Bastille Day celebrations in 2017, had been cancelled earlier due to high cost.
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D.C. avoided, Philadelphia becomes focal point
Despite the parade's location, 'No Kings' organisers have intentionally avoided holding protests in Washington DC. Instead, Philadelphia—home to the US Constitution—will host the flagship event. A local group is also organising a 'DC Joy Day' to celebrate the city's culture without inviting confrontation near the military spectacle.
According to the protest website, the goal is to draw a 'clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington'.
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The coalition includes over 200 organisations such as the
American Civil Liberties Union
, the American Federation of Teachers, and the Communications Workers of America. Their call: 'No thrones. No crowns. No kings.'
Rising tensions and pre-emptive crackdowns
In the days leading up to the protest, tensions have escalated. Trump ordered National Guard and US Marine deployments to Los Angeles earlier this week, aiming to suppress anti-deportation protests. It was a move many
civil rights groups
have likened to Cold War-era military interventions. Interest in 'No Kings' reportedly surged following this.
Republican governors in several states have also taken action. Texas Governor Greg Abbott activated his state's National Guard ahead of the protest wave. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis publicly stated that drivers could legally hit protesters if surrounded by a crowd. 'You don't have to sit there and just be a sitting duck and let the mob grab you out of your car and drag you through the streets. You have a right to defend yourself in Florida,' he said.
Trump responds: 'I don't feel like a King'
On Thursday, Trump was asked directly about the 'No Kings' protests. 'I don't feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get things approved,' he said. Earlier in the week, he had warned that protesters would be 'met with very big force', though the White House later softened that message by claiming he supported peaceful demonstrations.
Still, Trump also said Tuesday: 'By the way, for those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force. And I haven't even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country.'
A year of growing dissent
The scale of anti-Trump demonstrations has grown since his second term began in February. According to the Harvard-based Crowd Counting Consortium, there were three times as many protests by March 2025 as during the same period in 2017. These actions have spanned causes, including mass deportations, federal budget cuts, and public opposition to Elon Musk's growing influence in federal contracts.
The previous largest day of protest, the 'Hands Off' march in April, drew around 1.5 million people according to independent estimates.
The consortium stated in a new analysis: 'Overall, 2017's numbers pale in comparison to the scale and scope of mobilisation in 2025 – a fact often unnoticed in the public discourse about the response to Trump's actions.'
Protests stress non-violence
Organisers of 'No Kings' have reiterated a commitment to nonviolence. Participant guides distributed ahead of Saturday's events urge attendees to de-escalate potential conflicts and avoid provocation. The organisers' statement reads: 'We're showing up everywhere he isn't—to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.'
Despite the tense atmosphere, the message from the streets remains clear. As Trump's display of force takes centre stage in Washington, much of the rest of America is choosing to show a different face—one of defiance, unity, and peaceful resistance.
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