by Asad Mirza
Mass protests across the US and abroad reflect rising opposition to Trump’s policies, amid war concerns, immigration crackdown, and fears over democracy and global stability.
More than 3,000 ‘No Kings’ protests against the Trump administration were held across America and in more than a dozen countries on Saturday (March 27), according to a coalition of organisers that included “anti-authoritarian” groups, Indivisible and 50501, labour unions and other grassroots organisations.
Saturday, March 27, protests were the third ‘No Kings’ protest against US President Donald Trump; the last one in October 2025 drew seven million people nationwide. At the recent “flagship” event in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St Paul, organisers estimate around 200,000 people filled the streets around the state capital to commiserate, mourn, and speak out against the Trump administration.
Bernie Sanders, the independent Vermont senator, riled up the crowd with remarks about the role of the ultra-rich in politics. Bruce Springsteen sang his song about the death and destruction brought by ICE to the state, ‘Streets of Minneapolis’, leading the crowd in chants of “Ice out now!”
The state’s governor, Tim Walz, introduced Springsteen, saying it was clear America needed “no damn kings” but it needed the Boss. Walz commended the state’s people for standing up for each other and for immigrants when Trump sent in thousands of federal agents, who killed Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Their names were featured heavily in the No Kings protest signs in the city. Jane Fonda even read a statement from Good’s wife, Brenda.
According to a The Guardian report, in New York City, multiple ‘No Kings’ contingents merged through Times Square, as well as the outer boroughs. Minutes before the main march was set to take off from Central Park, the state’s attorney general, Letitia James; the city’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams; actor Robert DeNiro; the Rev Al Sharpton; and Padma Lakshmi filed into the front of the crowd holding hand-painted banners that read: “We protect our democracy – people over billionaires – we protect our neighbours.”
In Washington DC, one protest group, made up of about a dozen Palestinian mothers, stood at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and waved a 10ft-tall Palestinian flag. “Most Americans don’t know that our tax dollars are being used to subsidise violence,” Hazami Barmada, 42, said. “This is happening while many Americans can’t afford housing, milk, school or healthcare. Prices continue to go up as we are fighting Israel’s wars.”
Other protesters, led by local activist organisations including Free DC, gathered at the Frederick Douglass Bridge in south-east Washington DC. The crowd marched across the bridge to Fort McNair in Southwest DC, where the White House senior adviser Stephen Miller resides.
In downtown Chicago, protestors chanted “Trump must go now, fascists gotta go now” and “Ice out” as they filed into Grant Park. Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, addressed the crowd of thousands: “Look around, our movement is bigger, our resolve is bigger.”
Other speakers at Chicago’s rally discussed labour rights and keeping immigrant and trans communities safe. “When we build a world that protects trans people, we build a world that’s better for everyone,” said Iggy Ladden, the founder of the Chicago Therapy Collective.
The White House and Republican leadership denounced Saturday’s ‘No Kings’ day events as “Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions”. In a statement, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the demonstrations were created by “leftist funding networks” and that “only people who care about these ‘Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions’ are the reporters who are paid to cover them.”
The BBC says that since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has expanded the scope of presidential power, using executive orders to dismantle parts of the federal government and deploying National Guard troops to US cities despite objections by state governors.
The president has also called on the administration’s top law enforcement officials to prosecute his perceived political enemies. In his defence, the president says his actions are necessary to rebuild a country in crisis and has dismissed accusations that he is behaving like a dictator as hysterical. “They’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” he said in an interview with Fox News in October last.
But critics warn that some of the moves by his administration are unconstitutional and a threat to American democracy.
These protests came amidst reports that around 3,500 US Marines have been sent to the war zone in the Middle East. This points out to alleged reports by some Trump advisers not to send ground forces to the region, as it may further escalate the conflict and may prove to be another Vietnam for the US.
However, apparently, the US President doesn’t seem to be bothered by all this advice. Instead, he is seen as busy mocking the Iranian leaders and establishment and even mockingly describing the Strait of Hormuz as the Strait of Trump. In retaliation, Iranian newspapers gave banner headlines, “Welcome to Hell”, to the US soldiers.
As the disruption in the global oil supply chain increases, it will have a rippling effect on other supply chains. This, in turn, would lead to an increase in economic woes and hardships not just for American citizens but across the globe.
The latest ‘No Kings’ protest follows recent electoral successes by the Democrats and a slump in Trump’s approval ratings. Organisers were hopeful that as many as 9mn people could turn out at events in all 50 US states.
Analysts say the war against Iran, rising petrol prices, stock market volatility, and criticism of his hardline immigration clampdown pose a threat to the Republican Party in the November midterm elections.
Meanwhile, reportedly, Pakistan and Turkey are mediating to end the conflict, but the needle has not moved much. Israeli and US militaries continue to attack Iran, and Iran continues to hit back. No one is quite sure what Trump would say, or order, next.
The rally organisers echo people’s sentiments by repeatedly emphasising that ‘No Kings Day’ is only one aspect of broader efforts toward building people power and fighting the Trump administration – and that that work “doesn’t end after March 28”.
Though the war in Iran was supposed to be a spurring force for these demonstrations, most of the protesters focused on President Trump’s immigration crackdown, and many politicians and even Senators and Governors joined the crowds in some states.
(The writer is a New Delhi-based senior commentator on national, international, defence and strategic affairs, environmental issues, an interfaith practitioner, and a media consultant. Ideas are personal.)
