American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten is calling on teachers, union members, and activists to participate in over 1,800 “No Kings” rallies nationwide this weekend. The protests are timed to coincide with President Donald Trump’s birthday, Flag Day, and the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary parade in Washington, D.C.
During a town hall meeting on Wednesday, Weingarten labeled President Trump a “dictator” and encouraged mass turnout for a “Nationwide Day of Defiance” scheduled for Saturday, June 14. The demonstrations are organized to oppose what leftist groups describe as authoritarian tendencies of the Trump administration.
Weingarten told attendees the protests are about rejecting what she calls the erosion of democracy. “The people are the most important decision makers in the country. Not a king, not a dictator,” she said. She tied the movement to support for public schools, working families, and “fundamental freedoms.”
The “No Kings” protests are being promoted through a national campaign website that accuses President Trump and his administration of cracking down on free speech, targeting political opponents, defying court rulings, and catering to wealthy donors. The website declares, “No thrones, no crowns, no kings,” and frames the rallies as a populist rebuke of Trump’s leadership.
The event comes on the heels of unrest in Los Angeles, where anti-ICE protests turned violent following recent federal immigration enforcement raids. Those protests resulted in widespread property damage and assaults on law enforcement personnel.
Weingarten’s alignment of the teacher’s union with overtly political demonstrations on a patriotic holiday has drawn scrutiny, especially as public trust in education and union leadership remains a contested issue. Critics argue that politicizing classrooms and educators risks alienating families and undermining the nonpartisan role schools should play.
Despite the political overtones, Weingarten continues to use her national platform to mobilize opposition to President Trump, with this weekend’s rallies expected to generate significant media attention as both sides of the political spectrum prepare for the 2024 election cycle.
