Americans watched this weekend as the so-called “No Kings” movement tried to dress up partisan anger as patriotism, parading through our streets with dramatic slogans meant to frighten rather than persuade. Carl Higbie was right to call these protesters out — their pageantry proves the opposite of their accusation: the president remains a leader who answers to the law, not a monarch above it.
Make no mistake, the demonstrations were large and noisy — organized events filled streets in Washington and dozens of cities — but size alone does not equal legitimacy or moral high ground. Media outlets counted rallies across the country, yet the spectacle too often masked the organized, partisan nature of the effort and the political timing behind it.
Conservative leaders and ordinary citizens saw through the theater immediately, calling the “No Kings” rallies what they were: political theater driven by fringe groups and opportunistic Democrats hoping to distract from a government shutdown and the administration’s policy successes. From members of Congress to everyday voters, the response was unanimous — hard-working Americans want results, not virtue-signaling street theater.
Meanwhile, critics on the left were quick to accuse President Trump of crassness after an AI-generated clip circulated showing an exaggerated caricature of “King Trump” dumping sludge on protesters — a tasteless creation produced by the same online echo chambers that traffic in disinformation and outrage. That stunt only reinforced the point: if you need Hollywood-style deepfakes and viral pranks to make your case, you don’t have a convincing argument about governance.
Beyond the staged spectacle, disturbing moments from some demonstrators revealed the uglier side of this movement — teachers mocking a slain conservative voice, depictions of guillotines and severed heads, and celebratory gestures toward violence that have no place in decent civic life. Those incidents show why millions of Americans recoil from the chaos these groups promote and why law and order must be defended against reckless theatrics.
At the end of the day, patriots who love this country don’t bow to mob theatrics or political hysteria; they hold leaders accountable at the ballot box and in the courts. Carl Higbie’s blunt assessment — that “No Kings” protesters demonstrate Trump is not a king — is a patriotic reminder that our republic belongs to the people and not to factory-produced outrage or the performative politics of the left. Americans who work, sacrifice, and love liberty will stay the course.
