On October 18, 2025, the United States witnessed a groundswell of protest that stretched from the bustling streets of New York City to the quiet corners of rural Iowa. The nationwide "No Kings" rallies, organized to oppose what many participants saw as President Donald Trump’s authoritarian tilt and abuse of power, drew millions into the streets in what independent data journalist G. Elliott Morris called “the country’s biggest single-day protest since the 1970s,” according to Democracy Docket.
Estimates of turnout ranged from five to eight million people, with the No Kings movement itself placing the number at over seven million across more than 2,700 events nationwide. As reported by The New York Times, demonstrations took place in every state and several U.S. territories, as well as in cities abroad, from Berlin to Sydney. The sheer scale of participation—over 2% of the U.S. population at the high end of estimates—was underscored by aerial images of packed city squares and rural gatherings alike.
While the tone of most protests was peaceful and even festive—complete with inflatable animal costumes, music, and a massive, crowd-signed copy of the Constitution’s preamble paraded down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.—the day was not without its moments of tension and violence. In Northeast Ohio, a 53-year-old woman was hospitalized after being struck by a white Ford F-150 pickup truck during a rally in Jackson Township. Witnesses described the driver as deliberately veering onto the grass where protesters sat, then fleeing the scene. "It was definitely on purpose. He went up on the curb. She took a direct hit," one witness told the Canton Repository. Despite her injuries, the woman managed to raise her fist and declare, “I’m all right,” though bystanders feared she may have broken her leg.
Police later located the 77-year-old driver at his home with the help of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. He told the Canton Repository that he had no memory of the incident, insisting, "I don't even remember it happening. It wasn't anything like on purpose." As of October 20, no charges had been filed, but authorities were consulting with the Massillon Prosecutor’s Office and seeking video evidence from the public.
Elsewhere in Ohio, at a Kent protest, a 20-year-old man from Stow was subdued by attendees after shoving a woman. Kent City Councilman Jeff Clapper recounted to the Beacon Journal, “I have no idea what led up to it, but I wasn't going to let it stand. So I grabbed him and forced him to the ground. Then I heard he had a gun, so we restrained them.” Police arrested the man on felony charges of receiving stolen property and carrying a concealed weapon. He was scheduled for arraignment on October 20, with a preliminary hearing set for October 24.
Despite these isolated incidents, the vast majority of events remained peaceful. In Iowa, hundreds gathered in Clinton County, a region Trump won by nearly 20 points in the last election, and smaller groups assembled in Maquoketa, Des Moines, Iowa City, and Davenport. Kerry Notz, a former English teacher, told NPR that the current political climate made her question basic freedoms she once took for granted: “I've told my students, ‘You can stand on the street corner and say the president is an idiot and should go away.’ And I said, ‘You’re fine, nothing will happen to you. Nothing will happen to your family.’ And I’m not completely sure of that right now and that hurts my heart.”
The motivations driving protesters were as varied as the locations in which they gathered. According to survey data collected at the D.C. rally by sociologist Dana Fisher, the leading concerns were President Trump himself, his immigration policies, and voting rights. The No Kings movement, a coalition of progressive organizations, made its objectives clear: “They’ve defied our courts, deported citizens, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, slashed essential services, and handed billions to their allies. Enough is enough,” read a press release. “This country doesn’t belong to a king.”
Across the country, protesters waved American flags, brandished signs, and chanted slogans in defense of democracy, civil rights, and the rule of law. In Washington, D.C., the spectacle of the giant Constitution’s preamble highlighted a central theme: opposition to what many saw as an imperial presidency.
The Trump administration and its allies responded with a mix of defiance and mockery. As Democracy Docket reported, President Trump posted an AI-generated video of himself as “King Trump,” dropping payloads of excrement on protesters from a fighter jet. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the video as “satire” and praised Trump’s social media prowess, saying, “He’s probably the most effective person who has ever used social media.” On Fox News, Trump asserted his “unquestioned power” to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to deploy the military domestically. “Don’t forget, and I haven’t used it. But don’t forget, I can use the Insurrection Act. 50% of the presidents, almost, have used that. And remember, that’s unquestioned power,” Trump stated, though legal experts have long warned that the act is susceptible to abuse.
Republican lawmakers largely rallied behind the president. Some, like Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, dismissed the protests as a “hate America rally,” while others called for investigations into the groups organizing the events. “I think it is extremely important that we look at who is funding these protests,” Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa said on Fox News. Law enforcement agencies, acting on Trump’s orders, reportedly prepared to investigate progressive groups like Indivisible, a core No Kings organizer, as Reuters reported.
Nevertheless, the No Kings movement pressed forward, scheduling a mass call for October 21 to discuss next steps. Organizers emphasized the importance of connection and persistence. Renne Lietz, of Operation Grassroots in Iowa, summed up the grassroots ethos: “We’ve got our small group here. And if you start getting a small group everywhere, pretty soon you’ve got a big group.”
For many, the protests were about more than opposition to a single administration—they were an affirmation of the right to dissent and a call to defend American democratic norms. As dusk fell on October 18, millions of voices had been raised, and the country’s political future felt as contested as ever.
