Millions of Americans across all 50 states are expected to march on Saturday in nationwide “No Kings” protests, denouncing what organizers call President Donald Trump’s increasingly authoritarian rule and demanding an end to federal overreach.

The demonstrations, scheduled for more than 2,700 locations from small towns to major cities, mark the second iteration of the No Kings coalition, which organized one of the largest protest days in modern US history this June. Organizers say Saturday’s events will be even larger, uniting people behind the message that “the United States has no kings.”

A message against authoritarianism

Trump has intensified his efforts to expand federal power in recent months, deploying immigration agents and federal troops to several US cities and proposing new measures to criminalize what he describes as “left-wing extremism.” City leaders across the country have sued to block the federal interventions, accusing the administration of militarizing local policing and suppressing dissent.

“The president wants us to be scared, but we will not be bullied into fear and silence,” said Lisa Gilbert, co-president of the advocacy group Public Citizen, one of the event’s main organizers. “It’s incredibly important for people to remain peaceful, to stand proud, and to say what they care about.”

The No Kings coalition, representing more than 200 organizations, has called for nonviolent demonstrations and extensive safety training for participants. Tens of thousands of volunteers have reportedly undergone de-escalation and legal observer training in preparation for the mass protests.

Prominent lawmakers, including Senators Chuck Schumer, Chris Murphy, and Bernie Sanders, are expected to participate in the marches. Sanders said in a statement Friday that “the American people are standing up to say enough — no one is above the law, not even Donald Trump.”

Trump’s allies, meanwhile, have sought to brand the demonstrations as “anti-American” and linked to Antifa, the loosely organized anti-fascist movement. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced plans to deploy the state’s National Guard to Austin, claiming it was necessary to “maintain order.”

A growing movement against Trump’s power grabs

The “No Kings” slogan directly challenges Trump’s rhetoric and actions, which critics say have pushed the limits of executive authority. Organizers accuse the administration of using taxpayer money for “power grabs,” attempting to override the courts, and expanding deportations without due process.

Trump has previously mused about seeking a third presidential term, despite constitutional limits, prompting widespread alarm among civil rights groups and constitutional scholars.

Saturday’s protests will take place in major anchor cities, including Washington, DC, New York City, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Boston, San Diego, and New Orleans. Smaller rallies are planned in towns such as Bozeman, Montana, and Kansas City, Missouri.

The first wave of No Kings protests in June drew between 2 million and 4.8 million participants, according to estimates from the Harvard Crowd Counting Consortium, making it one of the largest single-day demonstrations since the 2017 Women’s March.

Organizers expect this weekend’s turnout to surpass those numbers, reflecting mounting public anger at what they describe as Trump’s “monarchical” behavior.

Republican rhetoric escalates

Trump allies have sought to discredit the demonstrations by linking them to Antifa and foreign influence. House Speaker Mike Johnson described the protesters as “the pro-Hamas wing of the Democrats,” while Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer called the rallies the “hate America rally.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed, “They are organized, and someone is funding it… We are going to find and charge all of those people who are causing this chaos.”

Levin dismissed those claims as politically motivated. “The Trump administration is nervous about demonstrations that threaten its power,” he said. “So, in a weird way, it’s a compliment of our relevance and power.”

Lisa Gilbert countered that “the violence is coming from the administration through their militarized crackdowns… not from protesters.” She added, “The president wants us to be scared, but we will not be bullied into fear and silence.”