Yesterday, June 14, 2025, millions of demonstrators in all states gathered in parks and plazas across the United States to protest against President Donald Trump. These rallies, known as the “No King’s Protests,” were organized in nearly 2,000 locations worldwide following growing unrest over federal immigration raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Trump’s response to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles protests were sparked by an incident on June 6, where the area was raided by federal agents, who arrested people in and around the downtown area. As word of the immigration arrests spread, confusion and outrage spread among the residents, drawing a large crowd around a federal building, who called for an end to the immigration raids. Arrests and protests increased on June 7, after there were reports of immigration enforcement near a Home Depot in Paramount, a community in southern Los Angeles County. Hundreds of protestors were drawn to the commotion, some even throwing rocks at cars and blocking federal buildings. That day, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that they had arrested 118 people during immigration operations.
Despite their warning, the protests continued, increasing in numbers and severity. In response, Trump signed a presidential memorandum, which authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles around 6 p.m. on June 7. Trump’s deployment immediately sparked controversy, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom quickly condemned the decision. Both argued that the President’s decision would inflame tensions, as the deployment marked the first time a President has ever mobilized a state’s National Guard without a governor’s approval since 1965. Despite Bass and Newson’s shown disapproval, the troops began arriving in Los Angeles on June 8, causing twenty-two Democratic governors to release a joint statement declaring Trump’s deployment as “an alarming abuse of power.” In the statement, they wrote that the decision “undermines the mission of our service members, erodes public trust, and shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement.” To continue their battle against the deployment, Governor Newsom worked with California Attorney General Rob Bonta to attempt to sue the Trump Administration on June 9. The lawsuit sought to invalidate Trump’s memorandum and argue that the takeover of a CalGuard unit exceeded the President’s Title 10 authority, since it did not have the Governor’s input, which federal law requires. In response, Trump told reporters that it would be “great” if ICE acting head Tom Homan could arrest Newsom. Then, on June 10, Trump authorized an additional 2,100 California National Guard troops for federal service, bringing the total number of federalized troops in Los Angeles to over 4,000. While he defended that the troops were intended “to support ICE and enable federal law-enforcement officers to safely conduct their duties,” the escalation deepened nationwide outrage and set the stage for a political showdown.
Tensions intensified when Trump announced he would host a $45 million parade on June 14. Although the parade was officially staged to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the formation of the U.S. Army, critics pointed out that it coincided with Trump’s birthday, attempting to make a connection between the two. Governor Newsom seized the moment to further criticize President Trump, bringing up his administration’s proposed budget cuts in his “Big Beautiful Bill.” The Trump Administration’s proposal includes cuts for various public safety programs, including those to support police departments, combat terrorism, prevent gun violence, and protect women and children from domestic violence. In total, his tax cuts add up to $3.7 trillion, which has brought controversy among citizens who worry long-term impacts on the national debt. Newsom accused Trump of undermining law enforcement and increasing debt for personal and political gains, arguing that “Trump doesn’t respect the rule of law and taxpayers. He uses members of the military — our heroes — as his own chess pieces and he’s stacking the deck against our own state and local law enforcement.” Then, Newson highlighted the $134 million cost of Trump’s decision to federalize 4,000 National Guard soldiers and deploy 700 Marines to Los Angeles, claiming that it was funded by taxpayers. Beyond cost concerns for Trump’s celebratory parade in Washington, D.C., the Governor insisted that the featured tanks and helicopters were “reminiscent of authoritarian regimes,” and were insensitive in the current economic and social challenges facing the nation.
Many American citizens agreed with Newson’s claims, participating in the “No King’s” rallies held on Saturday. Rallies consisted of more than 50,000 protestors in New York, more than 20,000 protestors in Los Angeles, and more than 70,000 protestors in Seattle. Organizers of the protests shared that they were protesting “authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy.”
Written by Claire Liu
