Millions Expected to Rally Against Trump’s ‘Authoritarianism’ Amid Government Shutdown Crisis
The United States is bracing for a massive second wave of anti-administration protests, as organisers finalise plans for “No Kings Day” this Saturday, October 18.
The demonstrations, which are expected to be one of the largest single-day political mobilizations of President Donald Trump’s second term, are positioned as a direct rejection of what activist groups call the administration’s “authoritarian power grabs“.
The planned national action comes amidst a volatile political climate, with the U.S. government entering its third week of a partial shutdown.
Organizers from the 50501 Movement and a coalition of groups, including the ACLU and Indivisible, say the shutdown has only amplified the urgency of their message: “America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.”
Pre-Protest Tensions Rise
While today, Thursday, October 16, is focused on final preparations, political tensions are already running high. Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have preemptively denounced the upcoming rallies, referring to the gathering as a “Hate America rally” and suggesting, without evidence, ties to extremist groups.
Organizers have firmly rejected the accusations, stating the goal is a peaceful affirmation of democratic principles.
The October 18th event is a follow-up to the first “No Kings Day” in June, which drew millions of protestors nationwide.
This second mobilization is expected to draw a similar, or potentially larger, crowd with more than 2,500 local rallies planned in all 50 states, including a flagship march scheduled for the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
“Shutting down the government is another authoritarian power grab by this administration,” said one organizer, urging federal workers—many of whom are currently furloughed—to join the marches.
Journalists Stage Walkout
In a related demonstration of dissent, dozens of journalists walked out of the Pentagon yesterday, surrendering their access badges in protest of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new press restrictions.
The reporters rejected rules that would prohibit them from soliciting information unapproved by the administration, a move news organizations described as an attack on press freedom.
The combined political showdowns—the government shutdown, the escalating rhetoric, and the massive protest planned for Saturday—signal a deepening crisis over democratic governance in the nation’s capital. The world is watching to see if the second “No Kings Day” will succeed in shifting the national political narrative.
