On October 18, 2025, millions of Americans are expected to take to the streets in cities across the nation, participating in what organizers describe as the largest peaceful protest in modern U.S. history—the “No Kings” rallies. Yet, in the days leading up to the event, the demonstrations have become a lightning rod for fierce political rhetoric, with top Republican leaders branding the movement as dangerous and even “terrorist,” while national security experts and protest organizers fire back, defending the right to dissent as a bedrock of American democracy.
The controversy ignited on October 10, when GOP congressional leaders launched a barrage of attacks against the upcoming protests. House Speaker Mike Johnson, speaking on Fox News, labeled the planned gathering on the National Mall as a “hate-America rally,” warning that the event would be attended by “the pro-Hamas wing and Antifa people.” He didn’t stop there. In subsequent remarks, Johnson referred to the protests as “an outrageous gathering for outrageous purposes,” and claimed attendees would include “the Antifa crowd, and the pro-Hamas crowd, and the Marxists,” as reported by The New Civil Rights Movement.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer took the rhetoric a step further. At a press conference, Emmer accused Democrats of causing the ongoing government shutdown in order to “score political points with the terrorist wing of their party, which is set to hold … a ‘Hate America’ rally in D.C. next week.” In a statement to Breitbart News, Emmer also condemned Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, alleging, “Chuck Schumer is holding the government hostage because he is afraid of the pro-Hamas, pro-terrorist wing of his party.” Emmer painted a dramatic picture, stating, “As our military men and women are risking their lives to fight – WITHOUT PAY – terrorists across the globe, Schumer is fighting to keep the government closed to appease the pro-terrorist crowd at the Hate America Rally.”
Such language has drawn sharp criticism from multiple quarters. The Steady State, a group comprising over 330 former ambassadors, inspectors general, flag officers, and senior intelligence officials, issued a pointed rebuke of Speaker Johnson’s remarks. “Johnson is branding the planned No Kings rally a ‘hate America rally,’ warning that all the ‘Antifa people’ will be there,” the group wrote, as cited by The New Civil Rights Movement. “He calls it ‘serious business’ and claims it’s ‘hurting real people.’ But Johnson, a constitutional lawyer, knows better. Peaceful protest is not only protected under the First Amendment—it is a core democratic right and a cornerstone of American freedom.”
The No Kings coalition, which is organizing the rallies, responded to the Republican attacks with a mixture of defiance and humor. “After a few moments of laughter, the No Kings coalition issued the following statement: ‘Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down. Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he’s attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings.’” The coalition’s message, echoed on their organizing page, is clear: “A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action.”
For context, the No Kings movement is not new. It first emerged as a form of counter-programming to President Donald Trump’s military parade in Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2025. On that day, millions of people—spanning the political spectrum—gathered to protest what they viewed as an antidemocratic second-term agenda. According to Politico, the June protests were overwhelmingly peaceful, with organizers intentionally avoiding a major event in Washington at that time to prevent conflict. Despite this, the Trump administration mocked the demonstrations, highlighting what they described as low attendance compared to the televised military parade and fireworks show celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.
But the October 18 rally is shaping up to be different. Organizers, including groups like Indivisible, predict it will be “the largest peaceful protest in modern American history.” Ezra Levin, a co-leader of Indivisible, emphasized the scale and intent of the event, telling the press that the movement is fundamentally about nonviolent action and collective democratic expression.
Nevertheless, Republican leaders have sought to link the No Kings rallies to broader national and international controversies, particularly the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. In a video shared by journalist Aaron Rupar, Emmer asserted that the protests were a ploy by Democrats to “score political points with the terrorist wing of their party.” Speaker Johnson, in a similar vein, accused “some House Democrats” of selling t-shirts for the rally, suggesting party complicity.
Fueling the fire, a recent Harvard/Harris poll conducted between October 1-2, 2025, found that among Democrats, 68 percent supported Israel in the Israel-Hamas conflict, while 32 percent supported Hamas. This data point has been invoked by some Republicans to bolster claims that the Democratic base is divided on issues of terrorism and foreign policy, though critics argue that such statistics are being weaponized to undermine legitimate protest and dissent.
The heated rhetoric from congressional Republicans has not gone unnoticed by former members of their own party. Former Rep. Joe Walsh, a self-described “Never Trumper,” posted on social media, “My former political party is scared to death of these #NoKings rallies. That’s great. So let’s have a gazillion Americans out rallying all around the country on October 18th! Let’s scare the shit out of Trump & his party.” Walsh’s comments reflect a broader sentiment among some on the right and left who see the protests as a vital expression of grassroots opposition to what they view as increasing authoritarianism.
Yet, the stakes of the debate go beyond partisan point-scoring. The government shutdown, which has left military personnel working without pay, looms large over the political theater. Republicans like Emmer and Johnson insist that Democrats are prolonging the shutdown to appease radical elements within their party, while Democrats and protest organizers counter that GOP leaders are using the protests as a convenient scapegoat to avoid addressing pressing issues like healthcare and the cost of living.
As October 18 approaches, the tension shows no sign of abating. On one side, Republican leaders continue to frame the No Kings rallies as a threat to national security and public order, invoking the specter of terrorism and extremism. On the other, protest organizers and a chorus of national security veterans maintain that peaceful protest is not only lawful but essential to the health of American democracy.
Whatever unfolds on the day itself, one thing is clear: the No Kings rallies have become a flashpoint in the ongoing struggle over the meaning of patriotism, dissent, and the right to protest in America. As millions prepare to march, the nation will be watching—debating not just the message of the protests, but the very character of its democracy.
