What to Know
More than eight million people protested against President Donald Trump on Saturday, March 28, and several high-profile celebrities were among them. Vocal Trump critics Robert De Niro, Jane Fonda, Bruce Springsteen, and Jimmy Kimmel (along with many others) participated in the “No Kings” protests.
De Niro gave a speech at one of the protests, saying Trump is a “corrupt leader” who “must be stopped now.”
The actor referred to Trump as an “existential threat” unlike any other.
During his speech, he said, “When the crowds are chanting ‘No Kings,’ what I’m really hearing, as we all know, is ‘No Trump.’ There have been other presidents who have tested the constitutional limits of their power, but none have been such an existential threat to our freedoms and security — NONE — except Trump.”
And just in case anyone was confused about why so many people oppose what Trump is doing, De Niro outlined a few of the key issues. “It’s time to say no to Donald Trump. We’ve had enough,” he said. “No King Trump, no unnecessary wars that rob our resources, sacrifice our brave servicemen and women, and slaughter innocents. No corrupt leader enriching himself and the Epstein class buddies. No taking away healthcare from our most vulnerable neighbors, no unaffordable groceries, no unaffordable energy, no unaffordable housing and no inflation at its highest level since COVID. No government masked thugs shooting down our neighbors in the streets.”
Fonda attended a protest in Minnesota, where federal agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti earlier this year.
At the event, Fonda said she was “honored” to read a statement written by Good’s wife, Becca. “I can’t stop talking about how absolutely beautiful it is to see how Minnesota shows up for its people,” the statement read in part. “I want to say thank you for how you’ve shown up for me, how you’ve shown up and shown out for all the people victimized by this horrible moment in history…The reality is I am so heartbroken. I miss my wife. The world now knows that my wife sparkled with sunshine and shone with kindness that is unmatched. We were robbed of an incredible human. It has made people pause and take a breath and have to choose sides. We choose the side of love.”
Just a day before the “No Kings” protests, Fonda also protested against Trump outside the Kennedy Center. She warned that the Trump administration is trying to “reshape American history and cultural life through fear and attacks on our First Amendment.” She said, “Today, books are being banned, plaques and monuments depicting historical events this administration wants to forget are being removed.”
Springsteen performed his protest song, “Streets of Minneapolis.”
The song references “King Trump’s private army from the DHS” and the deaths of Good and Pretti. “The power and the solidarity of the people of Minneapolis, of Minnesota, was an inspiration to the entire country,” Springsteen said on stage. “Your strength and your commitment told us that this is still America. This reactionary nightmare and these invasions of American cities will not stand.”
He continued, “You gave us hope. You gave us courage, and for those who gave their lives, Renee Good, mother of three, brutally murdered. Alex Pretti, VA nurse, executed by ICE, shot in the back, and left to die in the street without even the decency of our lawless government investigating their deaths.”
Some celebrities, including Kimmel, posted about the protests on social media.
View on Threads
The late-night host, who has posted about attending anti-Trump protests in the past, shared photos of protest signs on Threads. He attended the protest with his kids and held a sign that showed a caricature of Trump telling lies and read, “Enough already.” He captioned his post with, “Great turnout at #NoKings.”
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