President Donald Trump wants to celebrate his birthday like a king: not with cake or candles, but with a $45 million military parade through the streets of Washington, D.C. Officially, the parade is only to mark the U.S. Army’s birthday, not the president’s the same day; in reality, the military’s celebration, though long planned, did not include a parade until his administration got involved. On the day the Army was founded to defeat tyranny, he’s getting a parade and using your tax money to do so.
This chilling spectacle pulls us away from the ideal of nonviolence that has paved the way for freedom movements in this country for generations. That’s not freedom. That’s not democracy. That’s not American. So on June 14, we the people are rising up and declaring that in America, we do not have a king. Across every U.S. state and territory, in cities, towns, and rural communities alike, millions of us will join the “No Kings” mass mobilization.
Trump’s power doesn’t just come from his title; it comes from the myth that he’s untouchable.
The president is using the same playbook we’ve seen in other countries throughout history: concentrate power, crush dissent, target vulnerable communities, enrich yourself, and distract the public with shows of force. He’s moved swiftly to erode the guardrails of democracy. He’s attacked the press and public universities, purged civil servants, and ignored court orders. He’s slashing budgets for public services, moved to erase hard-won victories for civil rights, ordered the hounding of immigrants in schools, places of worship and job sites, and ignored due process while deporting migrants to dangerous foreign prisons.
Now, in the very same week when he dispatches the National Guard and the Marines to Los Angeles to silence protesters’ righteous cries for justice in the face of his cruel assaults on our immigrant brothers and sisters, he hosts a grand parade. We hold a parade of the people.
Trump’s power doesn’t just come from his title; it comes from the myth that he’s untouchable. That he can say and do whatever he wants, and no one can stop him. But that myth only exists if we let it. Authoritarianism feeds on fear and silence. It survives when institutions go along, and when people give up. Already, too many elected officials, business leaders, and civic institutions have fallen in line.
But since his inauguration, millions of Americans have rejected Trump’s myth. Thousands of protests around the country have denounced his authoritarian moves, his attempts to rewrite this country’s history and his moves to destroy our already tattered safety net. And the more people have seen of Trump’s lawless second term, the less popular he has become. Now, this Saturday, Americans everywhere will take to the streets for more than 1,500 protests. From Washington to Florida, from to California to Maine, we come together in this latest instance of sustained resistance to this power-hungry president. We’re proud to march together in the tradition of moral resistance laid down by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and carried forward by generations of freedom fighters, who knew that justice is not inevitable, it takes a movement. Authoritarian moments can feel permanent. But they never are. The time for assessing this administration is over — now is the moment to raise our voices and be heard. Not just to protest this parade, but to affirm something deeper: that power belongs to the people, that democracy is worth defending, that we still believe in a government of, by, and for the people. Inspired by Dr. King’s legacy, this mobilization reminds us of his vision of a just, inclusive, and equitable society. A dream toward which we have dedicated our lives’ and urge everyone to stand together in the face of this latest challenge to our fragile democracy. Authoritarian moments can feel permanent. But they never are. They crack when people speak. They crumble when people act. And they collapse when courage becomes contagious. Trump is counting on our fear. We’re betting on our courage. Trump wants a crown, but we won’t bow. We will rise.
Martin Luther King III
Martin Luther King, III, is a global humanitarian, activist, and the elder son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He is chairman of the board of the Drum Major Institute, the author of “What is My Legacy?” and cohost of the My Legacy podcast alongside his wife, Arndrea Waters King, Marc Kielburger and Craig Kielburger.
Ezra Levin
Ezra Levin is the co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible. He was previously an anti-poverty advocate and served on the staff of Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Tx.)
Arndrea Waters King
Arndrea Waters King is a civil rights advocate, advocate for peace, and the president of the Drum Major Institute (DMI). She is the co-author of “What is My Legacy,” and co-host of the My Legacy Podcast alongside Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 
