On October 18, 2025, an estimated 7 million Americans mobilized peacefully across the United States to protest the authoritarian policies and actions of the Trump administration. In approximately 2,700 cities and towns, everyday people patriotically exercised their First Amendment rights and participated in simultaneous “No Kings” rallies, setting a new record for a single-day U.S. protest. This was an increase from the estimated 5 million Americans who participated in approximately 2,000 “No Kings” events just four months earlier. With mass mobilization growing, future protests may see 12 million people participants, or approximately 3.5 percent of the U.S. population. As the Center for American Progress has discussed, political science research shows that when 3.5 percent of a nation’s population mobilizes in peaceful protest at a key moment, it becomes extremely difficult for the government to ignore the people’s calls for transformative change.
‘No Kings’ protests were people-driven, peaceful, and potent
The “No Kings” protests show the growing depth and breadth of opposition to an imperial presidency. Although most Americans lack experience in mounting major resistance efforts against a federal government engaged in authoritarian actions or policies, they peacefully organized in all 50 states to make their demands heard, reaching even further into conservative communities. People of all ages, races, economic statuses, and other backgrounds, including veterans and religious leaders, demanded transformative change in the face of the administration’s unprecedented abuses of power; the weaponization of the military against Democratic-led cities; illegal detentions and arrests by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents; President Donald Trump’s self-enrichment and lack of accountability; and the administration’s attacks on key parts of civil society and on the president’s perceived rivals—all while Congress and the courts are largely failing to act as a sufficient check and balance.
Despite the seriousness of the moment, the “No Kings” protests were infused with positivity. Many rallygoers dressed in festive costumes, carried humorous signs, played music, danced, sang, and performed other joyful acts. To show unity, many wore yellow, the color of several nonviolent movements around the world. These tactics can create enthusiasm and are effective tools against strongman leaders.
People voiced their views despite dangerous and threatening language used by some lawmakers and officials who claimed that the “No Kings” protests would be driven by hatred of America and would include terrorist sympathizers and violence. Yet, notably, there was not one reported arrest of any “No Kings” protester nor any widespread violence, perhaps because the organizers conducted nonviolence and deescalation trainings. Protest movements stand a much greater chance of success if they are peaceful.
The 3.5 percent ‘rule’ is an instructive measurement of public sentiment
In a prior article and video, CAP explained how a relatively small number of Americans—12 million—can help stop the nation’s slide into full-scale authoritarianism. Political science research developed by professor Erica Chenoweth of Harvard University and her research partners shows that when a mere 3.5 percent of a nation’s population mobilizes in peaceful protest at a key moment, it signals a powerfully broad movement, making it nearly impossible for the government to ignore the people’s demands. The 3.5 percent rule is not a fixed formula, but rather a solid predictor based on more than 300 successful nonviolent movements around the world. In fact, most movements that succeeded did so without reaching 3.5 percent.
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In the months ahead, broader mobilization could spur change
The “No Kings” protests signal that the United States may be on the brink of a sustained and ideologically broad movement to counter an imperial presidency. Next steps could involve Americans engaging in other forms of nonviolent noncooperation, like they did during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. For example, “general strikes that affect the economy, boycotts, sit-ins, walkouts, or shutdowns of parts of cities can put unavoidable pressure on political leaders to hear their constituents and resolve the matter.”
The grassroots organizations that coordinated the “No Kings” mobilization said they are exploring options such as those described above as well as creating a rapid response network to coordinate quick peaceful pushback, encouraging people to get involved with community groups, and connecting the protests to popular policies such as reducing skyrocketing health care costs or curbing elected officials’ corruption. CAP has suggested a wide range of activities for Americans to make their voices heard, including communicating directly with their federal, state, and local elected officials; creating websites to build a public record of harms to their communities; or pooling money with neighbors to amplify messages via newspaper ads or billboards.
Conclusion
People are refusing to stay silent and instead are engaging in peaceful dissent. Town by town, they are growing a movement to demand a government whose president is not above the law. The United States has crossed the halfway mark toward the 3.5 percent threshold. If people build an expansive ideological movement that creatively flexes its power and persuades key pillars of society to join, they could help course-correct the nation onto a pro-democracy path.