Thousands of protesters turned out Saturday across Texas and the rest of the U.S. in opposition to what some are characterizing as increasingly authoritarian practices by President Donald Trump.
“They say they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said in a Fox News interview airing early Friday before departing for a $1 million-per-plate fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago.
It’s the second “No Kings” protest and third mass movement against the administration this year, and it comes amid an intensifying conflict between federal law enforcement and protesters nationwide.
Some conservative politicians have condemned the protests as “Hate America” rallies, while others say that it represents a “patriotic” fight for First Amendment rights.
Political Points
Here is what to know about the rallies.
Organizers aim to boost political engagement
Ezra Levin, a leading organizer of Saturday’s protests, said the demonstrations are a response to what he called Trump’s “crackdown on First Amendment rights.”
Levin, the co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, pointed to Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown, his unprecedented promises to use federal power to influence midterm elections, restrictions on press freedom and retribution against political opponents.
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He said those steps cumulatively represented a direct threat to constitutionally protected rights.
How many and where are protests planned
Protests are planned for more than 2,600 locations nationwide — from the country’s largest city, New York, to small unincorporated, rural communities like East Glacier Ridge, Montana, with roughly 300 residents — organized by hundreds of coalition partners.
Demonstrations have taken place all across the Dallas-Fort Worth area – some with a lower turnout and others with higher participation.
Dallas’ crowd size was estimated at 3,000 as of 12:30 p.m., police said. The crowd size in Arlington was estimated at 1,400 as of 1:30 p.m.; Frisco’s crowd size was estimated at 600 as of 10:45 a.m.; and Denton was estimated at 500 as of 12:45 p.m., according to the city’s respective police departments.
In North Texas, rallies were also planned for Plano, McKinney, Forney and more. Elsewhere in Texas, rallies were planned for Austin, Houston, Tyler, Longview, San Antonio, the Houston area, Lubbock, El Paso and many more.
Events in New York City, Boston, Chicago and Atlanta also drew large crowds. In downtown Houston, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Daniel Aboyte Gamez, 30, joined a few hundred other protesters.
“I don’t understand what’s going on in this nation right now,” said Gamez, who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. “As a Marine Corps vet, I understand that the United States was founded upon action against tyrants, against kings.”
Organizers will consider the day a success, Levin said, if people are galvanized to become more politically involved on an ongoing basis.
What’s happening at the Dallas protest
Thousands of people gather in downtown Dallas on Saturday to march, chant, hear speakers and be heard. Attendees cheered as the rain began to fall and speakers called attention to it
“I’m so proud of you being out in the rain!” Samantha Mitchell, the organizer said as the rain ramped up.
Eric Folkerth, senior pastor at Kessler Park UMC, stood at the podium surrounded by peers who belonged to not just the Christian faith but also followed others such as Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. He said Trump’s immigration policy and ICE enforcement in neighborhoods had a chilling effect. Several detainees were people with no criminal record, he said.
“This is driving a dangerous way. It is driving fear into our neighborhoods, all of us who serve churches, we synagogues and mosques, we are hearing this fear in our communities,” he said, adding that it was important that people look past divisions between communities and find shared humanity.
“So friends, I want you to look to your right. I want you to look to your left, and I want you to say to the people next to you, I will show up for you. Say that,” he said.
“I will show up for you,” the crowd said in unison.
Crackdown on protests
Trump’s crackdown against protests, especially in Democratic cities, has intensified since the June marches. He has since sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tenn. His efforts to deploy troops to Chicago and Portland, Oregon, have stalled in federal court.
Organizers in Chicago are expecting tens of thousands of demonstrators at a popular Lake Michigan park, followed by a downtown march.
Federal immigration agents have arrested more than 1,000 people in Chicago, the nation’s third largest city, with increasingly aggressive tactics since September.
Chicago police watch as people walk to Grant Park before a “No Kings” protest Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Nam Y. Huh / AP
Abbott deploys National Guard in Austin
Gov. Greg Abbott said he would deploy the state’s National Guard Texas Rangers, state troopers and Department of Public Safety personnel to Austin ahead of the protests.
“Violence and destruction will never be tolerated in Texas,” Abbott said.
Texas Democrats criticized the move, accusing Abbott of trying to intimidate people exercising their First Amendment right.
“Sending armed soldiers to suppress peaceful protests is what kings and dictators do — and Greg Abbott just proved he’s one of them,” House Democratic Caucus chair Rep. Gene Wu of Houston said in a statement.
The “No Kings” organizers have led numerous virtual safety trainings leading up to the protests with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is listed as an official partner on the “No Kings” website.
Each official protest has a safety plan, which includes designated medics and emergency meeting spots.
Mixed response from elected officials
The protests have already drawn swift condemnation from some of the country’s top politicians, with House Speaker Mike Johnson dubbing the event the “Hate America rally” at a news conference on Wednesday.
Some state leaders, like Texas’ Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, have decided to activate the National Guard ahead of the protests.
“Texas will deter criminal mischief and work with local law enforcement to arrest anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property,” Abbott said in a statement.
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom struck a more optimistic tone, saying he hopes Californians turn out in large numbers and remain peaceful. He said Trump “hopes there is disruption, there’s some violence” that he can exploit.
The Associated Press, Dallas Morning News staff writers and Reuters contributed to this report.
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