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Demonstrators aired grievances about the Trump administration trampling democracy, as the president’s approval ratings hit new lows.
29 March 2026
Protesters filled the streets Saturday at more than 3,300 rallies across all 50 states for No Kings, a movement that bills itself as nonviolent opposition to what organizers view as authoritarian rulers in the White House and beyond.
The swell of marches marked the third major collective action for the grassroots campaign, which began as an outlet for those infuriated by the Trump administration. To many hitting the pavement, America’s leaders are stomping on democratic values with escalating immigration crackdowns, rolled-back abortion rights and, among other grievances, another unpopular war.
The theme of the day was executive overreach, with no one issue singled out as the raison d’être. But like many political uprisings, the meaning of No Kings varies from protester to protester. Some showed up eager to defend what they cast as lofty ideals. Others just don’t like President Donald Trump.
“It’s just … everything,” said one first-time protester, 37-year-old Caitlin Pease, who brought her 14-month-old daughter to a rally in a predominantly Republican Upstate New York county.
She’d made a sign that said: “It’s so bad the introverts are out here.”
The backlash comes as Trump’s approval ratings have plummeted to new lows, and even key chunks of the MAGA base have discarded their once-bulletproof solidarity to express growing frustrations. Among their objections: The president who vowed to stop wars has started a new one with Iran that has so far killed 13 U.S. service members and wounded hundreds more. Operation Epic Fury has triggered surging gas prices. Groceries remain stubbornly pricey. Trump’s tariffs have lifted the expense of houses, cars, phones, televisions, sneakers, dishwashers — the list drags on. Vacations are thwarted by hours-long airport security lines, the consequence of a government mired yet again in gridlock.
Some Republicans have bashed No Kings as ineffective and out of touch, with Trump once calling the marches a “joke” full of “whacked out” participants.
While real-time turnout is tough to measure, the coalition of left-leaning groups steering No Kings expected this weekend’s headcount to break records. The last eruption of nationwide gatherings in October drew approximately 7 million people, according to their tally. Loads more have signaled interest since then, they said, as Trump’s critics recover from burnout that tailed a bruising election loss and channel their energy into banding together.
Whether that translates to ballot-box results remains murky. Expanding demonstrations don’t guarantee policy wins, as the country’s messy history of protest movements shows. But for those showing up, the displays of resistance in blue cities and red strongholds — from Alaska through the heartland to communities near Mar-a-Lago — serve as proof that democracy is alive and well even under a president they slam as a self-styled “king.”
The movement has spread globally, with rallies springing up in at least 15 other nations at a time when much of the international community has aired fears that Trump’s war could spiral into wider bloodshed. Protesters congregated Saturday in Rome, Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam, Sydney and Tokyo, among other big cities.
Across the United States, in urban centers and tiny towns, demonstrators raged against the decadence of Trump’s new White House ballroom, slipping support for Ukraine, the Pentagon not ruling out the possibility of American boots on the ground in a Middle East conflict without a clear end, Republican efforts to scrap vote-by-mail and the ICE agents sowing fear in neighborhoods and airports.
Thousands crammed outside the Minnesota State Capitol, where No Kings threw what it called its flagship event. The crowd was “the largest protest in Minnesota history,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of progressive nonprofit Indivisible.
Nine months ago, on the eve of the first coordinated No Kings marches, a gunman executed one of the state’s top Democratic lawmakers and her husband in their home. Police urged Minnesotans to stay home after officers found No Kings fliers in the assailant’s abandoned SUV, but people flocked to the rally despite the in-progress manhunt.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recalled the protesters’ determination on Saturday, telling a rally in St. Paul, “When democracy itself seemed to be at risk, it was Minnesota who said, ‘not on my watch.’”
The assemblage got a dose of star power when Bruce Springsteen took center stage to perform a song inspired by the January killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents deployed to Minnesota. “King Trump’s private army from the DHS, guns belted to their coats, came to Minneapolis to enforce the law — so their story goes,” he sang.
Passion aboundedin the nation’s capital, where Trump has shaken up the federal workforce and is using executive powers to transform the city’s landmarks. The procession took marchers across the bridge where he hopes to build one of the world’s tallest arches; along the National Mall, near where he wants to install a “National Garden of American Heroes”; and then within view of the White House grounds, where his ballroom is replacing the East Wing.
On a bridge overlooking Route 66, a mix of longtime activists and first-timers waved American flags and signs that read: “Fight for democracy,” as well as “History Has its Eyes on Us.”
A steady stream of cars honked in appreciation.
Some demonstrators said they were afraid to show their faces, because they or their spouse work for a federal government in which leaders regularly call their livelihood an example of “waste, fraud and abuse.” Others said they had helped immigrants who’d gone into hiding since ICE agents began yanking delivery food drivers without the right documentation off the roads. To them, the point of No Kings is to keep Americans aware of the impacts of the administration. Maybe it could also spark electoral change, they added, pointing to the recent victory of Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).
“Earlier, I was afraid of losing my job,” said a federal worker named Kim, 56, explaining why she’d avoided previous protests. “But after starting multiple wars and foreign invasions — and persecuting Americans and ‘to-be Americans’ — that broke some terror water in me.”
Her son has special needs, she said, and most of the caretakers who assist her family come from other countries. She worried ICE could scare away that invaluable workforce. Or hostile neighbors. One man in a car had screamed at her and other demonstrators, “Get a life!”
Katie Pegoraro, a 52-year-old IT manager from Arlington, dressed up as a giant red balloon dog reminiscent of a Jeff Koons sculpture.
“Joyful resistance,” she called it, hoisting a sign that read, “Due Process.”
The killings of Good and Pretti — both 37, both civically engaged civilians, in her eyes — had motivated Pegoraro to do more than just vote.
“I was the kind of person who was like: ‘My representatives are doing a good job,’” she said. “Then 100 percent, ICE killing people in Minnesota pushed me over the edge.”
Robyn Friedman, 72, had traveled from Virginia Beach to visit her sons and join the march. It was her third No Kings experience and one of many rallies she’d attended over the years.
“It can feel like it doesn’t do anything,” she said of protest, especially in a ruby-red district like her own. “But we did just vote in Abigail Spanberger.”
Up in Glens Falls, where 41 percent of registered voters in the county are Republicans and 27 percent Democrats— and Trump won all three of his presidential runs — hundreds added their shouting and chanting to the national festivities.
Dan Szczesny, 59, stood among the crowd with the American flag normally hanging outside his front door slung over his shoulder. A Republican for nearly his whole life, Szczesny left the party when Trump first ran for president.
The bombing in Iran dominated his thoughts.
“We’re going to be stuck yet again in the Middle East with no way out,” he said.
Overnight, an Iranian strike injured at least 10 U.S. troops on a Saudi air base. The war kept coming up among rally-goers, including Marsha Luzier, 57, who served four years in the Air Force.
“It’s heartbreaking to know our people are over there for a war that shouldn’t be going on,” she said, her voice breaking.
As the East Coast protests were thinning out, the California rallies were just starting. Thousands of demonstrators filled the park and streets near Los Angeles City Hall, where organizers said they expected more than 100,000 people to attend. A band played an upbeat tune with Spanish lyrics as people danced and waved signs.
“Trump made me an activist,” said John Mena, 62, a disabled U.S. Army veteran who was born in Ecuador but grew up in the United States — and showed up Saturday with his pug, Coquito.
The most pressing issue, he said, is the economy. “The prices. Oh my gosh,” he said. “I call it a golden era of high prices, now even higher with the war in Iran.”
He said being at the protest, though, made him more optimistic. “It gives me hope that there’s still Americans willing to stand up.”
Paquette and Boorstein reported from Washington, Slater from Glens Falls and Kirkpatrick from Los Angeles. Maegan Vazquez and Marisa Bellack in Washington contributed to this report.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/03/28/no-kings-protests-marches-record-turnout
November is looming on the horizon like a devastating storm on the march, and the GOP knows it. Perhaps that’s why they are engaged in insider trading to rake in billions of bucks to help them when the hammer blows of lawsuits and persecutions come.
Sir OFP, as much as I’m encouraged by these demonstrations, the elections are still far off with anything potentially happening, including the dems screwing it up. It’s happened before…remember Kamala, an easy win, screwed up by over zealous idiots.
I hear you, Sir Cap. I do hope the Democrats have done their damned homework and will tread carefully.
But, take note that the Democrats have won virtually every election since the orange bandit too office, even in deep red states and in deep red districts. This has been going on for over a year now. Just recently, the Democrats flipped a seat even in the district where the fat monkey’s Mar-a-lago sits.
I think I have good reason to be optimistic.
“that’s why they are engaged in insider trading to rake in billions of bucks”
I look forward to that article.
I read it days ago, and posted a reference to it.
Did you not see anything about probability markets, and million dollar bets on when we’d invade, made hours before we did so?
Here’s an AI overview.
As of March 2026, multiple anonymous traders have made nearly $1 million to over $1.5 million in profit through highly accurate, “remarkably timed” futures-style bets on geopolitical events, particularly U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran on the prediction market platform Polymarket.
Key details regarding these high-stakes, “million-dollar” wagers include:
Suspicious Timing & Insider Trading Concerns: Analysts identified several new accounts that placed large wagers just hours or minutes before reported military strikes or developments, specifically in the Iran conflict and in relation to Venezuela.
Massive Volume: Polymarket has hosted over $500 million in betting volume related to the Iran war conflict, making it a major venue for “war betting”.
Scrutiny and Calls for Regulation: The “death wagers” have drawn intense scrutiny from US lawmakers and regulators, with calls for bans on gambling on violent events.
“America First” Futures: These wagers are described as a “futures market” for geopolitical action, with trading on actions like tariffs, sanctions, and airstrikes in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Specific Profiteering: A crypto analytics firm (Bubblemaps) identified “six suspected insiders” who made $1.2 million profit shortly before Iran strikes in late February 2026. Another report noted at least five users made $1.2 million in a separate incident, and another $150,000 was made in a separate Israeli military action bet.
Here’s one link:
https://www.aol.com/articles/mystery-traders-bet-millions-just-180522084.html
multiple users on the US-based prediction market platform Polymarket reportedly earned $1.2 million by wagering on the timing of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, according to a recent report.
At least five users made the correct wagers on Polymarket, a prediction platform with connections to Donald Trump Jr. that has previously faced scrutiny from federal regulators.
According to the Guardian’s Aisha Down, “At least seven different accounts on the platform Polymarket appear to have collectively made over $1.5m on bets that the U.S. would strike Iran this weekend. Five of these accounts are new accounts that have made no other bets; one more appears to have also only bet on strikes last weekend.”
“One more, ‘Magamyman’, has previously bet mostly on U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran over the past year.” All of these accounts remain anonymous. A crypto analytics platform on X, Bubblemaps, labeled six of them “suspected insiders,” observing that their wagers were funded in recent days and timed precisely for the weekend attacks on Iran commenced, collectively earning roughly $1.2m.
This makes me want to vomit for an hour straight.
(Quoting from a meme)
In 365 days of trump:
– He DOUBLED his family’s net worth
– billionaires got $1.5 TRILLION richer
– his 20 wealthiest political donors got $380 BILLION richer
while…
Food prices are up
Utility costs are up
Healthcare costs are up
Housing costs are up
Just in case you didn’t understand the scam yet.
That’s one reason why I’m fighting this treasonous gangster administration tooth and nail.
Springsteen and Bob De Niro are pretty sound on Krasnov. But they are Democrats.
What we need are many more Republicans like Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney speaking out publicly against the Putin wing of their party.
The Republicans will become quite irrelevant when the November storms have passed.
I can only hope with perhaps moderate republicans having a brain remaining in office (there are still a few remaining).
I am encouraged by your confidence facts!
Could you enlighten me on the constitutional policies and procedures?
If Krasnov loses his majority in the Senate and Congress, he becomes a “lame duck president”; right?
But he’s still in command? He can still stop all aid to Ukraine and even escalate his support for the child murdering nazi?
He can’t be sacked, but he could be impeached?
But then VanZkov takes over and in my view he’s more evil even than Krasnov. Remember the cokksukka referring to Zel’s offer to show him Bucha as a “propaganda tour?” Now that is intensely evil.
My reading is that Ukraine has to defend herself for another 2+ years only with the inadequate support she gets now.
Can the Dems force Krasnov to help Ukraine?
He lame duck now. Thats part of the reason hes going for broke with all this shit. He doesnt care about the Rep. party, he cares about himself and his bank accounts.
It depends on how bing the Dems win. a simple majority in one or both the house and Senate means Trump will not be getting much of his budget through. however he still has his veto powers so he will be able to get some things.
If the Dems win a 2/3 majority or can put together a 2/3s voting block that will mean they can override his veto and he only gets what they let him have. Virtually a lame duck.
If the Dems win the majority of Congress means they control the the Speaker’s chair and you can bet Impeachment proceedings are on the way.
HOWEVER
Most of what Trump does is by Executive Order and he can crank them out adnausm then wait for the courts to overrule them.
So The dems wining big in the Midterms is is an important step in neutralizing the Orange Shit Monste rbut but how important remains to be seen.
Right, Marcodian. Looking back during the past year, the Democrats won virtualy every election, even in deep red states and in deep red districts. Thus, things are looking good and I hope very much that the midterms will be a blue tsunami.
It has nothing to do with who has a majority in the Senate and/or Congress.
From Wikipedia:
A “lame duck” president is an outgoing U.S. leader in their final months in office after a successor has been elected, or, in a broader sense, during the last year of their final term. This period, usually lasting about 2.5 months between election and inauguration, is characterized by diminished political influence but increased freedom to issue executive orders or pardons without fear of reelection repercussions.
I know the meaning of it.
In fact the original meaning goes back centuries to old London.
But I was speculating if the term would be applicable in the instance of the sitting president loosing both houses and whether the Dems could in fact alter policy?
Sir Scradge, when one party has the executive branch (president) and the other has Congress, it’s called a divided government.
A divided government forces both sides to negotiate more intensively and moves them more into the middle of the stage (no far-right and no far-left policies). The president also has to be much more careful with his executive orders. They are restricted anyway to existing statutory authority and Article II powers, meaning they must align with existing federal laws and the Constitution, which the gangster doesn’t care about. The prez cannot create new laws, raise revenue, or bypass court challenges. Congress can pass new legislation to override an executive order or block funding needed for its implementation.
To make it short, the bandit will be massively curbed with his criminal behavior, which the maga traitors of the GOP have allowed.
Liz doesnt have to right now, the trumpers are experts at shooting themselves in the foot at the momment. Id vote for here, despite her father, timing is everything.
Hear, hrear!