throughout this shutdown — with TikTok videos and other publicity stunts — and now they’re taking it to a larger scale.”
Johnson added, “As the shutdown continues, it’s clear this kind of performance is why Democrats refuse to reopen the government.” He accused “No Kings” organizers of distributing talking points that praise the shutdown and actively encourage its prolongation.
Polling data reveals growing public frustration, with more Americans holding Democrats responsible for the impasse.
In response, the “No Kings” coalition dismissed Johnson’s claims with laughter and a statement to the Washington Times: “Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses to keep the government shut down.
Instead of reopening it, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he attacks millions of Americans peacefully protesting for their rights. America belongs to its people, not to kings.”
The organizers describe Saturday’s events as “a peaceful national day of action and mass mobilization against authoritarian excesses and corruption, which have intensified since June.” Critics note that true authoritarian regimes rarely tolerate such protests, pointing out that many of Trump’s executive actions have faced legal challenges.
Just a reminder, y’all. pic.twitter.com/nhcRyRH43N
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) October 18, 2025
Still, “No Kings” activists argue that the Trump administration engaged in numerous authoritarian behaviors, including targeting immigrant families, detaining individuals without warrants, undermining election integrity, weakening healthcare, environmental protections, and education, manipulating district maps, ignoring mass shootings, raising living costs, and providing large financial giveaways to billionaire allies.
Johnson and other Republicans have labeled the upcoming National Mall protest a “hate-America rally.”
“If you look at what’s happening tomorrow, it’s a gathering of Marxists, socialists, Antifa advocates, anarchists, and pro-Hamas factions within the far-left Democratic Party,” Johnson said. “That represents the modern Democratic Party.”
He further criticized the movement for opposing core constitutional principles and GOP values such as individual freedom, limited government, rule of law, and free markets — ideals he credits with America’s success.
Johnson concluded that some protesters, fixated on opposing Trump, fail to acknowledge the country’s achievements under the current administration.
Conclusion
The dispute over the “No Kings” protests exemplifies how public demonstrations and partisan narratives can intertwine with legislative gridlock. While organizers insist their movement is a peaceful call for accountability, Republican leaders portray it as worsening the shutdown and undermining national interests. This standoff underscores the deep divisions in American politics, where public sentiment, political strategy, and protest collide — leaving the fate of essential government operations uncertain.