Washington, D.C. – Today, House Speaker Mike Johnson blamed the peaceful No Kings Day of Action on October 18 for the ongoing government shutdown. After a few moments of laughter, the No Kings coalition issued the following statement:

“Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down. Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he’s attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings.

“We’ll see everyone on October 18.”

All No Kings events adhere to a shared commitment to nonviolent protest and community safety. Organizers are trained in de-escalation and are working closely with local partners to ensure peaceful and powerful actions nationwide.

https://www.nokings.org/partners

NO KINGS is a peaceful national day of action and mass mobilization in response to the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration, which they have doubled down on since June. They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting and detaining people without warrants; threatening to overtake elections; gutting health care, environmental protections, and education when families need them most; rigging maps to silence voters; ignoring mass shootings at our schools and in our communities; and driving up the cost of living while handling out massive giveaways to billionaire allies, as families struggle.

• President Trump is currently eroding checks and balances by exercising raw executive power in every way he can. We will not stand by as this happens.

• Instead of allowing the president and his friends to believe that their attempts at silencing dissent and shows of force intimidate us, we will take to the streets and show them: Americans across the country will not cower in response to President Trump’s authoritarian takeover—we reject strongman politics and corruption and will fight until we get the representation we deserve.

• Alongside local organizers, partners, and leaders from across the pro-democracy & pro-worker movement, we will demonstrate organized nonviolent people power that outpaces any authoritarian aspirations.

• At events, attendees will receive Know Your Rights cards, or instructions on how to download them, to empower us to keep demanding that our rights are respected. We’ll also use it to start a conversation about how we're going to fight back and care for each other with our communities.

STATE OF PLAY: WHY WE’RE MOBILIZING ON OCTOBER 18TH

President Trump thinks his rule is absolute, but in America, we don’t do “kings.” Since the inauguration, the Trump administration and its enablers have operated as though they have a mandate—but they don’t, and never did. They are going to extremes to empower the Trump administration and enrich themselves, while cutting jobs and services for the rest of us. 

💰 He’s using OUR tax dollars to pay for HIS power grabs: The president is pouring public money into his authoritarian takeovers of cities—deploying federal forces, seizing local police departments, and funding mass detention and deportation operations—while cutting services that working families rely on every single day.

👑 We are united against kings: President Trump has openly said he wants a third term and is already acting like a monarch—seizing control of D.C., threatening other cities, and using federal forces against his own people. But the American people don’t bow to kings. Together, we will peacefully mobilize, yet again, in huge numbers to reject this corruption and abuse of power—it’s in our DNA as a country.

✋ They’ve gone too far: This is bigger than political disagreement. This administration has defied our courts, deported American citizens, disappeared people off the streets, and slashed our services—all while orchestrating a massive giveaway to their billionaire allies. Enough is enough. For anyone who thinks they’ve gone too far, this movement is for you.

We’re standing together against the abuses of power, cruelty, and corruption. On October 18, we gather to remind President Trump and his enablers: America has No Kings!

Whether you're outraged by attacks on civil rights, skyrocketing costs, abductions and disappearances, the gutting of essential services, or the assault on free speech, this moment is for you. Whether you've been in the fight for years or you're just fed up and ready to take action, this moment is for you.

🛑 We need to build a massive, visible, nonviolent, national rejection of this crisis. On October 18, we will see events across the country, in major cities and small towns in every state. Our goal is to show that the people—the majority—are taking action to stop the corruption and power grab. 

💪 The power is in your hands. Join us. If there’s a mobilization in your area, sign up to attend. If not, use this toolkit to host your own in your area.

On October 18, we will host peaceful demonstrations across the country to fight back against this crisis and demand accountability. Not all demonstrations will look the same, but they should all prioritize visibility and the core message: No Kings!

• March. Join millions across the country on October 18 to march against authoritarian politics and billionaire takeover. Bring together your community to create a show of strength against this crisis and be part of a national moment that changes the conversation—and turns the tide.

• Rally. Gather your community to rally together on October 18. Create a platform, invite speakers, and build a program designed to highlight the harms of the crisis we face—and what we’ll do to fight back. Rallies are a great way to involve impacted people, compelling speakers, and essential voices from allied communities. We’re building a big tent. 

• Visibility action. If you’re in an area where it will be hard to get a crowd together, you can still participate! Either join a larger event in your region or get some friends together and hold a smaller one. This could look like a gathering at a congressional district office, or a banner drop if permitted. Visibility is the key component—so make your signs, get your banners, wear your yellow, and plan your chants!