House Speaker Mike Johnson has reiterated his criticism of the ‘No Kings’ protests, accusing them of representing a rise of Marxism within the Democratic Party. The protests, which saw millions of participants nationwide, were described by Johnson as political cover for Democrats amid a government shutdown. Johnson also criticized the demonstrations for allegedly spreading ‘hateful messages’ and called the protests ‘un-American’ due to their perceived Marxist undertones.
During an interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl on ‘This Week,’ Johnson called the widely peaceful demonstrations ‘political cover’ for Democrats as the government shutdown continues. He argued that the protests were necessary for those in power to maintain a facade of political engagement, despite the underlying ideological concerns. Johnson further condemned the ‘hateful messages’ of the demonstrations, warning that they represented a dangerous, anti-American ideology. The protests, which saw millions of participants, have been described as a form of public critique against President Trump’s leadership, with demonstrators expressing their views through a mix of protest and performance.
Reports of the protests show demonstrators dressed in costumes of inflatable animals, dancing in the streets and holding signs criticizing Trump and his administration. Organizers estimated that almost 7 million people took part. Though Johnson congratulated protesters on a ‘violent-free, free speech exercise,’ he on Sunday condemned what he said were ‘hateful messages’ of the demonstrations.
Johnson had been a vocal critic of the rallies leading up to the weekend. He and other allies of the president called the demonstrations ‘Hate America rallies’ and sought to tie the protests to Hamas and antifa. ‘The irony of the message is pretty clear for everyone. If President Trump was a king, the government would be open right now,’ Johnson said. ‘If President Trump was a king, they would not have been able to engage in that free speech exercise out on The Mall, by the way, which was open because President Trump hasn’t closed it.’
Leading up to Saturday’s nationwide protests, Trump told Fox News that people are ‘referring to me as a king. I’m not a king.’ But shortly before a Washington rally began Saturday, the Trump War Room account posted an image of a smirking Trump wearing a crown. Still, Johnson on Sunday said the message of the protests pushed an ‘un-American’ Marxist ideology. ‘It’s not about the people, it’s about the message. It is a dangerous ideology, and it is anti-American. It goes against everything that we stand for.’