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US President Donald Trump has once again stirred controversy — this time by responding to massive anti-Trump “No Kings” rallies with an AI-generated video showing himself as a crowned monarch.
Posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, the video depicts Trump wearing a golden crown and piloting a fighter jet that drops filth on protesters below, soiling their clothes and causing chaos in the crowd. The imagery immediately drew outrage online, with critics accusing the president of mocking peaceful demonstrators and glorifying authoritarianism.
The video comes as millions of Americans took to the streets across all 50 US states on Saturday, denouncing what they called Trump’s “authoritarian tendencies” and “abuse of power.”
Millions March Nationwide in “No Kings” Protests
Organizers estimated that over seven million people participated in the “No Kings” rallies, which spanned from New York to Los Angeles, including events in smaller towns across the US heartland and even near Trump’s Florida residence.
In New York City, massive crowds filled Times Square, where police reported no protest-related arrests despite over 100,000 demonstrators rallying peacefully across all five boroughs.
Major cities like Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, and Seattle also saw turnout in the tens of thousands. On the West Coast, protests filled downtown Los Angeles and stretched for over a mile through Seattle’s Space Needle district, with 25,000 people marching in San Diego alone.
Republican Response: “Hate America Rallies”
Republican leaders moved swiftly to ridicule the demonstrations. House Speaker Mike Johnson described them as “the hate America rally,” echoing a line that quickly gained traction among conservative commentators.
Many Republicans defended Trump’s recent actions — including the deployment of National Guard troops in several cities, aggressive immigration enforcement, and efforts to prosecute political rivals — as necessary measures to “restore order and accountability.”
Demonstrators, however, saw them differently. Protest signs in New York and Washington read “Democracy, Not Dynasty”, “No Crowns, No Kings,” and “We Won’t Kneel.”
Protesters Denounce Authoritarian Drift
Organizers of the “No Kings” movement said the protests aimed to challenge what they see as the Trump administration’s rapid erosion of democratic norms since his return to office.
“From attacking the free press to weaponizing federal law enforcement, Trump has crossed every line of democratic restraint,” said one organizer in Los Angeles. “We’re here to remind America that no one — not even the president — is above the law.”
Protesters spanned all age groups and backgrounds, creating one of the largest coordinated political demonstrations in recent US history. Many drew parallels to past civil rights marches and women’s rights rallies, framing the “No Kings” movement as a defense of democracy itself.
Trump’s Mixed Messaging: “I’m Not a King”
Despite the AI video’s imagery, Trump appeared to strike a different tone in a Fox Business interview aired on Friday.
“They’re referring to me as a king — I’m not a king,” he said. “I’m a president who loves this country and protects it from chaos.”
Still, his Truth Social post, which went viral within minutes, seemed to undermine that message. Supporters flooded the comments with praise, while critics called it “propaganda bordering on delusion.”
Echoes of June’s Protests
Saturday’s demonstrations built on momentum from more than 2,000 “No Kings” rallies held earlier on June 14, coinciding with Trump’s 79th birthday and a military parade in Washington — an event critics said symbolized his growing embrace of militarized politics.
Since then, opposition groups have expanded their organizing networks nationwide, framing the current wave of protests as a fight for constitutional democracy amid what they call Trump’s “creeping monarchical presidency.”
A Nation Divided, A Movement Rising
The sheer scale of Saturday’s protests underscored how polarized the United States remains under Trump’s leadership. To his critics, the AI video epitomized the arrogance and danger of unchecked executive power. To his supporters, it was just another example of Trump trolling his detractors with humor and bravado.
As chants of “No Kings!” echoed from coast to coast, one message rang clear: millions of Americans — regardless of political party — are grappling with what Trump’s presidency means for the future of democracy in the United States.
