The USA is currently seeing a massive upswelling of protest against president Trump under the slogan No Kings, with between 5 to 11 million people reportedly taking part in the mass demonstrations across the US and in cities worldwide. This wave of protests were organized by a broad coalition of over 200 organizations, including the Indivisible movement, the American Federation of Teachers, Communications Workers of America, American Civil Liberties Union, and MoveOn.
First, in terms of American identity discourse, the War of Independence against King George III has been a defining event for American cultural identity. Add to that American evangelicals balk at the name King Herod, who was searching for Jesus to destroy him, then the broad ideological appeal of the slogan becomes clear.
Second, the overreach of the 2nd Trump administration stands out as a wild abuse of power to many Americans. Once again, this harkens back to the Revolutionary War, with its slogan of taxation without representation. With Trump temporarily handing the reigns of America's finances and civil service to Elon Musk and his DOGE 'experts' to disastrous results, then the adverse reaction to this financial power grab is natural for Americans.
Last, American history prescribes only one type of interaction against such ideologically oppositional force - resistance. Trump's birthday military parade has served as a catalyst, give both symbolic and real focus to protests.
It should be noted that other slogans might not have had the same discursive power as No Kings. Tyrant would seem like a leftist slander, ditto dictator, which Trump has already claimed he'd be on day one of his second presidency. Emperor has been levelled against Trump in political cartoons and satire for months, and although this entertains American liberals, this has no bite for a broader swatch of Americans.
So branding Trump a king seems a smart move in terms of American social semiotics. The question remains, can a popular movement sustain itself against a duly appointed president, and can it rollback the damage already done to America's political system and global reputation?
Sources
Archie, Ayana (June 14, 2025). "'No Kings' protests against Trump planned nationwide to coincide with military parade". NPR. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
"Indivisible Announce 'No Kings' Nationwide Day of Defiance". Retrieved June 15, 2025.
Journalist, Mark Rattner NonStop Local Digital (June 15, 2025). "Yakima rally unites 2,200 people in national "No Kings" movement". NonStop Local Tri-Cities/Yakima.
Rattner, M. (June 15, 2025). "Yakima rally unites 2,200 people in national "No Kings" movement | FOX 28 Spokane". KAYU-TV. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
