Mary Trump, the estranged niece of President Donald Trump, is urging Americans to join Saturday's "No Kings" protests, declaring that demonstrators "will not be silent" in the face of what she describes as the erosion of constitutional order, unchecked executive power, and the rapid implementation of a far-right policy agenda.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Newsweek: "The only people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them."
As previously reported by Newsweek, the decentralized "No Kings" movement has organized more than 3,100 events across all 50 states for Saturday, with over 9 million people expected to participate. The movement first gained national attention during "No Kings Day" in June 2025 and has continued to grow since, following earlier rounds of rallies that organizers estimate drew more than 5 million participants in June and more than 7 million in October.
At its core, the movement draws on the country's founding principle that no leader should hold unchecked power. By invoking the phrase "No Kings," organizers are signaling broad opposition to what they view as unaccountable government leadership. Organizers say the demonstrations are a response to government overreach and misplaced priorities -- particularly around military spending and economic inequality.
The protests are taking place as the U.S. military and Israel remain engaged in conflict with Iran under "Operation Epic Fury." Trump's approval rating has been found to be dwindling in various polls, as the Iran war rages on, the economy continues to be a concern and federal immigration operations divide public opinion.
On its website, the movement accuses the Trump administration of spending billions on overseas military action while increasing domestic living costs and benefiting wealthy allies. Minnesota has become a focal point for the demonstrations following incidents in which federal agents fatally shot U.S. citizens Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in January.
Mary Trump, a clinical psychologist and vocal critic of her uncle's administration, published a blog post on Substack titled "We the People: This Country Belongs to Us" ahead of Saturday's demonstrations, outlining her case for mass protest.
She cited the rollback of reproductive rights, what she characterized as illegal military strikes in the Caribbean Sea, an unconstitutional war launched without congressional approval, economic instability driven by tariffs, and widespread corruption as among the reasons Americans should take to the streets.
"The only people who can turn this around, the only people who can stop the insanity is us," she wrote, urging readers to attend a local rally. "We will exercise our First Amendment to protest the cruelty, criminality, and fascism of this regime without fear."
She added: "If you are able, please join a No Kings protest near you. Every single one of us who show up makes a difference. Let's make it clear that we believe in the American experiment and the Constitutional order; we believe in achieving a truly representative democracy and we will not be silent."
Organizers have designated the rally at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul as the national flagship event. Minnesota organizers expect as many as 100,000 attendees. Bruce Springsteen is headlining the St. Paul rally, performing "Streets of Minneapolis," a song he wrote in response to the deaths of Good and Pretti. Singer Joan Baez, actor Jane Fonda, and independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders are also expected to appear.
In Washington, D.C., hundreds of marchers moved through the streets past the Lincoln Memorial and onto the National Mall, carrying signs and chanting "No Kings."
Rallies are also planned in more than a dozen countries, including France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In countries with constitutional monarchies, the protests are being held under the banner "No Tyrants."
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump said, as reported by Fox News: "I'm not a king. I work my a off to make our country great. That's all it is. I'm not a king at all."
The "No Kings" group said on its website: "Not only are our rights being taken away at home, but President Trump is waging an illegal war abroad where American service members and over a thousand innocent civilians have died while sending armed, untrained ICE agents to instill fear among travelers at major airports across the country instead of putting an end to a TSA worker funding crisis of his administration's own making."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, via X: "Record turnout is expected today for No Kings. Thousands of nationwide protests, millions of marchers, dwarfing Donald Trump's biggest crowds. A very strong sign of what's coming in November. #NoKings"
Tomi Lahren, conservative host, via X: "For those covering the "no kings" protest today, I have a challenge for you! It's gonna be a good one! A real "Where's Waldo" if you will... Find the attractive ones. Let me know if you find some!! Good luck!"
Richard Stengel, former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the Obama administration, via X: "Protesting against kings is in our DNA as a people. The foundational American idea is that here the people are sovereign. So, too, is the idea that protesting against unconstitutional abuses of power is patriotic. I will be doing my patriotic duty today at my local No Kings protest. Hope you will too."
Eunic Epstein-Ortiz, a "No Kings" spokesperson, previously told Newsweek: "We're focused on our immediate and ongoing nationwide digital organizing effort to support local organizers on the ground in Minneapolis and across the nation, all leading up to the non-violent mass mobilization on March 28, where we anticipate millions in the streets at local No Kings marches, protests, rallies, and other types of events across all corners of this country."
Mary Trump is asking participants to send photos of their signs and rally attendance to her directly and has shared a protest anthem -- "No Kings, No Hate, No Fear," written by musician Nils Lofgren and his wife Amy -- to rally supporters ahead of the demonstrations.