See what 'No Kings' protests looked like across Indiana on June 14, 2025

Anti-Trump Protest Organizers Send Message Ahead of 'Free America' Weekend

Newsweek

8 hours ago

Newsweek

Anti-Trump Protest Organizers Send Message Ahead of 'Free America' Weekend

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. "Free America" protests against President Donald Trump and his policies are taking place across the country over the Fourth of July weekend, ranging from backyard barbecues to large rallies. "We want for folks to be celebrating not the America that we have, but a vision that we could have for what it would look like for America truly be free," Tamika Middleton, managing director of Women's March, told Newsweek. Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email. The Context Women's March, which launched in the wake of Trump's 2016 election victory, is behind "Free America Weekend." The group is urging Americans to join or host events in their communities to protest the Trump administration's policies and actions. The events are the latest nationwide protests against the Trump administration, including "No Kings" protests on June 14, when millions rallied in cities across the country while a military parade rolled through Washington, D.C., to celebrate the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with Trump's 79th birthday. Demonstrators rally outside the Minnesota State Capitol building during a "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025 in St Paul, Minnesota. Demonstrators rally outside the Minnesota State Capitol building during a "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025 in St Paul, To Know Middleton said events of varying sizes are planned in all 50 states this weekend. Almost 300 events are set to take place, according to the Women's March website. Smaller gatherings include one at a naturalization ceremony in support of immigrants, Middleton said, and a banner drop protesting the cuts to Medicaid in the president's sweeping tax breaks and spending cuts package, which was passed by the House on Thursday and is heading to the president's desk. Larger events are planned in some cities, including a rally in Los Angeles, where immigration raids have led to some Fourth of July celebrations being canceled or postponed. Middleton said the events are aimed to be joyful. "Because what we do know is that part of what this administration is doing is trying to bring people to despair, to the point they will not fight back," she said. "One of the things they're trying to do is take themselves so seriously and establish themselves as this force that cannot be reckoned with. And we want to remind people that the joy and the power is in each other, that there is hope and that we have to keep fighting for each other and with each other." What People Are Saying Middleton also told Newsweek: "What we're hoping that people will do is to look at what the Fourth of July represents and ask themselves if our country lives into that for everyone in their communities. And if it doesn't, what does it require to make sure that it does? The Women's March website says: "They want us scared, divided, and alone. They don't want us to dream about freedom. But that's exactly what we have to do. This Fourth of July, we will be in the streets with songs of freedom and joy. The dream of American freedom belongs to all of us, and we will not stop in our pursuit of its promise, now or ever." President Donald Trump said earlier this month that any protesters at the military parade on June 14 would "be met with very big force." He said: "I haven't even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force." What's Next "Free America" events are scheduled to take place across the country over the holiday weekend. Then, "Good Trouble Lives On" demonstrations are planned in honor of the late civil rights icon and Congressman John Lewis on July 17, the anniversary of his death. Organizers say it will be "a national day of nonviolent action to respond to the attacks posed on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration and to remind them that in America, the power lies with the people."

'Free America' Anti-Trump Protests Expand Across Nation For 4th of July

Newsweek

12 hours ago

Newsweek

'Free America' Anti-Trump Protests Expand Across Nation For 4th of July

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hundreds of "Free America" demonstrations against President Donald Trump and his administration are planned nationwide on July 4. The protests are being organized by the same group behind the Women's March, with the stated goal being to "Free America from the grip of hate and the politics of fear." They are taking the form of various community gatherings, including block parties, banner drops, barbecues, and dance events. Nichole Geibel, a 'Free America' protest organizer in Ohio, and Co-Chair of the North Ridgeville Democrats, told Newsweek: "The motivation behind this event is the growing frustration so many Americans have with the policies at the federal and state levels that infringe on our fundamental rights and take choice away from all of us and our communities. We believe that freedom of speech, personal autonomy and accountability in government are always important and always need to be fought for." Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment via email. A protester waves an upside down American flag in front of the Capitol, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Washington. A protester waves an upside down American flag in front of the Capitol, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo Why It Matters These protests come only a few weeks after the "No Kings" nationwide demonstrations, which were the largest anti-Trump gathering since his inauguration in January. The demonstrations also come just one day after Trump's sprawling tax and spending bill, known as the "Big Beautiful Bill", was passed by the House of Representatives What To Know The "Free America" organizers are calling attention to several aspects of the Trump administration, including the growing wealth disparity in America and mass layoffs enacted across the federal government. Geibel told Newsweek: "We want our elected officials to see that we're paying attention. We want them to know that their constituents understand that freedom and individual rights are being stripped away from all of us, and we expect them to represent us and our rights. Our hope is they'll listen more, restrict less, remember who they work for and remember that America is not a fascist nation." There are currently 264 "Free America" protests planned across Republican and Democratic states, including Florida, Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina. The protests have grown since June 30, when 170 demonstrations were listed on the organization's site. The number of protests is still a great deal smaller than the roughly 1,800 "No Kings" protests that took place on June 14. Organizers say the language of "freedom" reflects the symbolism of the July 4 holiday, which commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Speaking to how protests have grown in size throughout the first months of the Trump administration, Geibel said: "We have been protesting weekly [in Lorain County, Ohio] since March. Our protest group has grown exponentially since March and our local democratic community meetings have seen an increase in attendance this year also. The people in Lorain County Ohio are not giving up on the fight for democracy." Protesters demonstrate against the policies of President Donald Trump during a No Kings rally, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. Protesters demonstrate against the policies of President Donald Trump during a No Kings rally, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Photo What People Are Saying Nichole Geibel, a 'Free America' protest organizer in Ohio told Newsweek: "We hope people feel less alone and more connected with others who want to take peaceful, meaningful action. It's about showing up, using our voices, and reminding ourselves that democracy only works when everyday people participate and stand up for what they believe in. As Rep. John Lewis once said 'Never be afraid to make some noise and get into good trouble, necessary trouble.' We want people to leave feeling empowered and not be afraid to speak up for themselves and for this country." Stephen Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, posted on X in response to Trump's Big Beautiful Bill passing the House before July 4: "The most incredible opening 6 months to an American presidency in history." What Happens Next The demonstrations are planned nationwide for July 4.

How Trump 2.0 Protests Compare to His First Term

Newsweek

14 hours ago

Newsweek

How Trump 2.0 Protests Compare to His First Term

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. It's been nearly six months since the reelection of President Donald Trump, and so far during his second term, the headlines have been filled with news of protests across the country. From "Not My President's Day" demonstrations in February and the coordinated "No Kings Day" protests in June, which coincided with the president's 79th birthday, to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles last month, thousands of people have turned up at demonstrations across the country. But how do these protests compare with those during Trump's first term? With sweeping "Free America" protests due over the July 4 weekend, Newsweek spoke to experts to find out more about activism under Trump 2.0. How Have Protests Movements Changed Under Trump 2.0? "The simplest thing is, a much larger number of protests," Sid Tarrow, an associate member of the law faculty and Maxwell M. Upson Professor Emeritus Government Department at Cornell Law School, told Newsweek in a phone call. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/AP/Canva Dana Fisher, director of the Center for Environment, Community & Equity and a professor at America University, echoed this, telling Newsweek via email that although "Resistance 2.0 has taken longer to build momentum," there have been "more protests during the first six months of Trump 2." These have also been widely attended. The American Civil Liberties Union estimated that over 5 million people attended "No Kings" protests, of which it was an organizer, on June 14. The ACLU also reported that there were 2,100 protest events on that day alone. G. Elliot Morris, former editorial director of political polling website FiveThirtyEight, reported in a post on his Substack that there have been nearly triple the number of political protests at this point in Trump's second term than there were the first time around—15,395 in 2025 compared with 5,043 in 2017, according to data he cited from Crowd Counting Consortium. A Trump balloon floats above a "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. A Trump balloon floats above a "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, data from the American National Election Studies survey points to a general increase in protest participation from 2016 to 2020. It looked at youth participation and found that 18 percent of people aged 18 to 34 had participated in a protest, with another 29 percent saying they would do so in the future. Fisher told Newsweek that protests and resistance movements are often made up of people who are older and highly educated, with less of a change in this respect this time around. "Resistance 1 was clearly made up of highly educated, middle aged white women (and men)," Fisher said, adding: "Resistance 2.0 continues to be peopled by the same demographic, but more so: the participants are less diverse and more highly educated than Trump's first term." Meanwhile Asef Bayat, a professor of sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, highlighted a difference in the background to protest movements. "What distinguishes his second term is an unprecedented repression U.S. has seen in the recent decades. Americans cannot simply take for granted the kind of freedom of expression and protests they once had," Bayat told Newsweek. The Trump administration has taken measures to crack down on protests during his second term, including deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles in June, without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom, as protests against immigration raids escalated. The president has consistently defended these crackdowns and emphasized a need for law and order. The Issues Driving The Action "Young people's participation in protest movements is driven largely by a major dissatisfaction with the state of politics and democracy," Alberto Medina, communications team lead at the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), told Newsweek via email. "Only 16 percent of youth (ages 18-29) think democracy is working well for them," Citing Medina said, citing research from CIRCLE, adding: "There is also major distrust in institutions—especially major national institutions like the presidency, Congress, and the major political parties." "Young people are seeing a democracy that they don't believe is working and institutions that they don't trust to fix it, so they're taking to the streets to express their dissatisfaction, exert political pressure, and demand change." "The topics of protests are much, much broader," Tarrow said of the drivers under Trump 2:0. "It was as if people were waiting for the policy shoe to drop in order to protest against it." "The repertoire of contention has considerably broadened compared to Trump's first term." In June, there were anti-war protests following the U.S. strike on Iran. March brought Stand Up for Science rallies in response to cuts on science research funding. In May, tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the Trump administration's labor and immigration policies. People protest the involvement of the U.S. in Israel's war against Iran near the Wilshire Federal Building on June 22, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. People protest the involvement of the U.S. in Israel's war against Iran near the Wilshire Federal Building on June 22, 2025, in Los Angeles, California."The widened range of the protest movements against Trump are direct response to the widened and the more rapid range of policy moves that the Trump administration has made," Tarrow said. Whereas there was "a real focus on large centrally coordinated demonstrations" during Trump's first term, Fisher said. However, this time around, "The focus has been on more distributed actions that connect local people who are embedded in their communities," Fisher said, adding that "this structure makes it harder to see how big the mobilizations" are, apart from when they are "huge, like during the No Kings day of action." One thing that has remained consistent is the tactics of the protests, which—despite some instances of violence—"continue to be focused on peaceful activism," according to Fisher. How Might Protest Movements Continue To Evolve Throughout Trump 2.0? Tarrow said that while it's hard to predict events over a three-and-a-half year period, the key date to observe will be the 2026 midterm elections. "Protests will become more and more institutionalized, more and more aimed at particular Republican politicians," he said. However, he said: "The magnitude of the threat has been perceived and worried about by people who are generally not protesters," adding, "I think we need to understand better, the degree that there's a transfer of protest energy into electoral energy, which I think there will be in November 2026." Bayat shared a different possibility. "If repression continues, we might even see the rise of some kind of 'hidden sphere' (as opposed to public sphere) where people might remain silent or pretend to comply in public, but act or express views the opposite in private." "This would have serious implications for political process," he added. Fisher, meanwhile, said that while "Resisters the first time around thought that electoral politics could fix everything and that Trump 1 was a just a blip in the system or a mistake," this time round "everyone realizes that Trump's success was the product of a political system" and society "does not grant equal access to everyone." "Fewer people are speaking about how [an] election will solve the problem this time around. Instead, the focus is on the need for systemic changes that fix the system that is not working for the majority of Americans and has expanded inequality in our country," Fisher said.

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