Overview

• An estimated five million people joined ‘No Kings Day’ protests at over 2,000 sites in all 50 states to denounce President Trump’s perceived authoritarian overreach and the parade’s expense.
• The celebration marking the Army’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s 79th birthday drew far fewer spectators than the administration’s 250,000 estimate and faced scrutiny over its roughly $45 million price tag and empty stands.
• Biographer Michael Wolff said Trump angrily rebuked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for allowing troops to appear convivial instead of projecting the “menacing” military image he wanted.
• Late-night hosts including Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert ridiculed the parade as a self-indulgent spectacle while lauding the energy and size of the ‘No Kings’ rallies.
• Organizers from Indivisible, the ACLU and allied groups hailed the peaceful demonstrations as proof of a resilient democracy resisting executive power.