On October 18, 2025, Americans from all walks of life are expected to pour into the streets in cities across the nation, answering a call to protest under the banner of "No Kings Day." The movement, which has gained significant momentum over the past year, is set to stage approximately 2,000 rallies nationwide, with its flagship event in Washington, D.C. marching from 14th St., NW down to the Washington Monument. The protests, organized by the No Kings group, are intended as a non-violent response to what participants see as a growing threat to American democracy under President Donald Trump.
The call to action was amplified by none other than Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, who, on October 10, released a video urging Americans to join the upcoming demonstrations. "The original No Kings protest was 250 years ago," De Niro said in a message shared by the Indivisible Project, referencing the colonial uprising against King George III that sparked the American Revolution. "Americans decided they didn’t want to live under the rule of King George III. They declared their independence and fought a bloody war for democracy."
De Niro, never one to mince words about his political views, continued, "We’ve had two and a half centuries of democracy since then, often challenging, sometimes messy, always essential. And we fought in two world wars to preserve it. Now we have a would-be king who wants to take it away, King Donald I. F‑‑‑ that!" His fiery rhetoric left little doubt about his feelings toward the current administration. He concluded, "We are rising up again this time, non-violently raising our voices to declare no kings. We’re all in this together, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
According to the Indivisible Project’s Facebook account, the October 18 protests are the latest in a series of nationwide demonstrations. The first wave of No Kings Day rallies took place on June 14, 2025, coinciding with President Trump’s 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary parade for the United States Army. These earlier protests set the stage for the movement’s rapid expansion, as thousands gathered to voice their opposition to what they perceive as authoritarian tendencies in the Trump administration.
The No Kings group’s website lays out the philosophy behind the movement with a sense of historical gravitas: "NO KINGS is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together." The organization further states, "The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings, and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty. We will carry the spirit of 1776 forward and show that the American Revolution lives on."
In Washington, D.C., the centerpiece of the day’s protests will be the "Remove the Regime March," scheduled for Saturday, October 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Organizers plan to march down 14th St., NW to the Washington Monument. Other marches are set for various locations, including Pennsylvania Ave. and 3rd St. NW from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., and a demonstration in northern Virginia, backed by We of Action VA, beginning at 10:45 a.m. at the Smithsonian Metro exit and running until 3 p.m. The No Kings group is emphasizing non-violence and lawful conduct, urging participants to avoid conflict and to refrain from bringing weapons, even if legally permitted.
Not everyone, however, sees the movement in the same light. House Speaker Mike Johnson, speaking to FOX News, characterized the upcoming events in starkly different terms. "They have a ‘Hate America’ rally that's scheduled for Oct. 18 on the National Mall," he claimed, suggesting without evidence that the protest would be dominated by "the pro-Hamas wing and, you know, the ANTIFA people." Johnson also alleged that some House Democrats were selling T-shirts for the event, and that the ongoing government shutdown—which began 10 days prior to October 11—was being prolonged by lawmakers unwilling to alienate their activist base. "It's being told to us that they won't be able to open the government until after that rally because they can't face their rabid base," Johnson said.
The speaker’s remarks come at a time of heightened political tension, as the government shutdown enters its second week. The impasse has already caused federal employees to miss paychecks, with some reportedly being fired as a direct consequence, though the Trump administration has not specified which agencies or how many workers are affected. Frustration is mounting across party lines, and the protests are expected to serve as both a rallying cry for democracy and a lightning rod for criticism from Trump loyalists.
For De Niro and many of the protesters, the stakes could hardly be higher. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where he accepted the Palme d’Or lifetime achievement award, De Niro said, "In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted, and that affects all of us. That affects all of us here because the arts are democratic. Art is inclusive, it brings people together, like tonight. Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity. And that’s why art is a threat. That’s why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists."
President Trump, for his part, has not been shy about responding to his critics. After De Niro’s latest broadside, Trump fired back, dismissing the actor as a "wacko." It’s a familiar pattern: De Niro has repeatedly called Trump "America’s philistine president," while Trump and his allies have sought to portray the No Kings movement as radical and unpatriotic.
Despite the war of words, the No Kings organizers are urging participants to focus on the movement’s core message: the defense of American democracy against any form of absolute rule. They stress that their protests are rooted in the nation’s founding ideals, not in partisan animosity. "We’re all in this together, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," De Niro reminded viewers in his video appeal.
With thousands expected to take part in cities from coast to coast, the outcome of No Kings Day may well shape the political conversation as the nation grapples with a government shutdown, deepening divisions, and questions about the future of American democracy. For now, all eyes are on October 18, as Americans prepare to once again declare—loudly and peacefully—that in this country, there are no kings.
