A sweeping wave of protests is expected to unfold across the United States on Saturday, as more than 1,800 rallies under the "No Kings" banner are set to challenge President Donald Trump's military parade and his broader vision of presidential power.
The coordinated demonstrations are being organized in all 50 states and intentionally bypass the capital, with the flagship event taking place in Philadelphia. The protests coincide with three overlapping occasions: Trump's 79th birthday, Flag Day, and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
Trump is scheduled to speak at the parade in Washington, D.C., which is projected to cost up to $45 million. According to planning documents cited by the Associated Press, the event will include 6,600 soldiers, at least 150 military vehicles, and 50 helicopters moving from Arlington, Virginia, to the National Mall.
"Donald Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display for dominance for his birthday," reads a statement on the No Kings website. "No thrones, no crowns, no kings."
The movement-backed by more than 180 progressive organizations including Indivisible and the 50501 Movement-describes June 14 as a "national day of defiance." The group says protests are meant to reject what they call Trump's authoritarian tendencies.
Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible, told MSNBC that interest in the protests surged after Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles in response to demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "Of those 1,800 ['No Kings' protests], more than 100 of those have been added to the map since Trump announced that he was sending the National Guard to L.A.," host Rachel Maddow said on-air Monday.
The No Kings campaign encourages individuals to create their own events via its website, with no official gathering in Washington, D.C. "Real power isn't staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else," the organizers wrote.
In cities including New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Phoenix, protests are scheduled throughout Saturday, with times varying from early morning to mid-afternoon. Philadelphia's event is expected to run from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET.
Trump has dismissed criticism over the parade's cost. In an earlier interview with NBC's Meet the Press, he stated: It was “peanuts compared to the value of doing it." He added, "I view it for Flag Day, not necessarily my birthday."
Still, the president warned this week that anyone disrupting the event "will be met with very big force."
The 50501 Movement posted on Instagram, "The wannabe dictator wants a party? Well then, let's show him some 'love.' The real power in America isn't with some wannabe king. It rests with all of us, we the people."
