No Kings, No Crowns: Inside the June 14 Protests That Swept the United States

Millions across the U.S. marched in defiance of rising authoritarianism, sending a clear message: power belongs to the people, not a king.

Donald Trump had an embarrassing day yesterday. For months, he and his administration had been planning what they called the Trump military birthday parade. That’s right, millions of taxpayer dollars spent to celebrate his birthday. The event was scheduled to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.

Historically, the world leaders known for hosting military parades include Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. Definitely not the best company to keep, unless you're Donald Trump and you want to be seen as a strongman authoritarian.

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So why was it embarrassing? Because despite the Trump White House projecting a crowd of two hundred thousand, only a fraction showed up. At best, maybe a quarter. Coincidentally, Donald Trump’s parade took place at the very same time as some of the largest protests in American history, demonstrations against his administration, his policies, and most notably, his stance on immigration.

As I have mentioned in two of my previous articles, Donald Trump’s second term is flirting, even dabbling in authoritarianism. Deploying the military against your own citizens, violating U.S. Code, and ignoring the courts and the balance of power are all signs that democracy is regressing and authoritarianism is on the rise. The streets were filled with chants. They were loud, the signs were bold, and the message unmistakable: No Kings. On June 14th, thousands took to the streets 2,000 cities across the United States, in a coordinated protest challenging the rise of authoritarianism, the regression of American democracy and the Trump administration’s continued disregard of the courts and of the law. These protests were a pointed critique of Trump’s “imperial” leadership style and what organizers saw as the politicization of the armed forces, especially his plan to link a military parade to his own birthday celebration.

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These protests marked the unmistakable reality that Donald Trump has lost support among the American public, and that governing like a tyrant will only further infuriate the masses. As mentioned earlier, this has been dubbed the largest protest movement in American history, with millions uniting to push back against the administration’s disregard for constitutional principles and Trump’s increasingly tyrannical behavior.

In cities like Los Angeles, protesters were met with military and law enforcement presence. In others, demonstrations faced a heavy police response, with some being declared riots or unlawful assemblies. Regardless of the location, one message was clear: Donald Trump’s authoritarian actions and continued assaults on American democracy and its people will not be allowed to continue.

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Just one day earlier, sitting U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California was arrested for interrupting a Department of Homeland Security and ICE press conference. The question now becomes, what’s next? Arresting members of Congress on the floor of the House or the Senate? Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark, was arrested first. Then came Senator Padilla. Who will be next?

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The imagery of tanks rolling down Pennsylvania Avenue while peaceful demonstrators were kettled and gassed just blocks away drew sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. Civil rights organizations, legal scholars, and even some Republicans condemned the administration’s excessive use of force and the normalization of military displays in peacetime civic life. Critics argue that this spectacle was less about honoring the military and more about reinforcing a cult of personality built around a leader who increasingly rules through fear and spectacle.

What distinguishes the June 14 protests from past demonstrations is not just the scale but the unity across ideological and demographic lines. Protesters included young students, veterans, union organizers, faith leaders, and even former Trump supporters who now feel betrayed by his disregard for democratic norms. Their message was consistent: America cannot and will not be governed by intimidation, and no president is above the Constitution. In the days since, the White House has remained mostly silent, offering no clear acknowledgment of the protests or the arrests of elected officials. But silence will not stop what has already been set in motion. June 14 was not just a protest, it was a warning. If the president continues down this authoritarian path, he may soon find that the resistance he faces is not only louder, but more determined, more organized, and far more powerful than any military parade he can stage.

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Power is not permanent, especially not in the United States. This country fought a war of independence in 1776 to break free from kings, not to crown new ones. Issues like the cost of living, public safety, inflation, housing, healthcare, and social security were once the cornerstone of Donald Trump’s campaign. He has either backtracked on these promises or made each issue worse. Now, he is adding fuel to the fire in the Middle East while continuing to dismantle the core democratic norms and institutions that once made American democracy one of the most resilient in the world.

The American people have, at minimum, another year and a half of this to endure. Until then, they — and the rest of the world — should buckle up for a very bumpy ride.