President Donald Trump's big supporters are getting a clear message to "reconsider their relationship to the regime" — and back off — as millions of people prepare to hit the streets for "No Kings" protests across the U.S, according to an analyst.
More than 2,500 events are scheduled across 50 states on Saturday and "the need for resistance is urgent," Chauncey DeVega writes in a commentary piece for Salon.
Trump has been emboldened by the U.S. Supreme Court, moving quickly to impose aggressive immigration tactics, drawing the National Guard to multiple states and unleashing attacks on the media and comedians. He's also signaled invoking the Insurrection Act and targeting "left-wing" groups.
"These lies, and the hostility behind them, reflects a larger dynamic: Trump is seen by many of his supporters as a type of god-king on a divine mission. In this worldview, resisting Trump and the MAGA movement is an act of evil — unpatriotic at best, and outright treasonous at worst," DeVega writes.
His supporters could now see the mounting tension and decide where they stand, the writer argues. And some might have a different view.
"But America is still a democracy, albeit an increasingly weak one, and Trump still needs to maintain a veneer of public support," DeVega writes. "Protests and mass mobilization threaten his legitimacy. They counter the narrative that Trump and the MAGA movement enjoy unstoppable, popular momentum. No Kings will remind political bystanders — and the undecided — that resistance is not futile. Such protests can also send a signal to elites that it may be in their self-interest to reconsider their relationship to the regime."
The protests Saturday could also have a negative impact and empower Trump to move further into attack mode.
"But protests and marches also provide an opportunity for autocrats to expand their power," DeVega writes. "Trump has repeatedly signaled his desire to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to bypass the courts and to 'legally' deploy the military against the American people to put down 'civil unrest' or a 'rebellion.' Such a move could also be a prelude to de facto martial law, cancelling elections and suspending other civil rights and freedoms."
It could set the stage for the Trump administration's increased retaliation against people pushing back — and the stakes are high as people resist.
"Many have observed that Trump, with his actions against Democratic-led cities like Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Portland and Chicago, is looking to create a pretext for a much harsher crackdown. This makes Saturday’s No Kings protests even more consequential. In the event of any violence, whether from protesters or agent provocateurs, the president will doubtless seize on it to expand his power," DeVega explains.
"While important, attending No Kings protests is a beginning and not an end. It should be seen as a first step of sustained political activity to slow down the Trump administration and MAGA movement’s attempts to end multiracial democracy," DeVega writes.