House GOP Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) on Tuesday slammed the “No Kings” protests slated for Saturday against the Trump administration as a “hate America” rally backed by the left.
“These guys are playing to the most radical, small, and violent base in the country. You’ll see them on Saturday on the Mall. They just do not love this country,” Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said during a Tuesday appearance on Fox Business Channel’s “Mornings with Maria.”
The progressive group Indivisible says 2,000 No Kings protests are scheduled for Saturday. The protests are planned in cities including Los Angeles; Boston; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Atlanta; New Orleans; Kansas City, Mo.; and Bozeman, Mont. Planned protests stretch into Canada and as far south as Madrid, a town in Mexico.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has urged federal employee members to participate in the protests as well amid the shutdown, which has triggered vows by President Trump to lay off federal workers who are furloughed.
Emmer is one of several Republicans who are pushing back at the protests, which began in June and essentially argue that Trump is behaving like a king with some of his actions.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) backed Emmer’s theory that the protests were tied to a “hate America” mentality during a Tuesday press conference and suggested the demonstrations were tied to Senate Democrats amid the federal shutdown.
Scalise said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) was “throwing a temper tantrum” to “appease the most radical elements of his base.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in an interview on “Mornings with Maria” said he is frustrated by the protests and accused them of being organized by antifa.
“It begs the question, who’s funding it?,” he said during the Monday appearance.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in a separate interview on Fox News on Friday also linked the protests to antifa.
“The theory we have right now [is] they have a ‘Hate America’ rally that’s scheduled for Oct. 18 on the National Mall,” Johnson said. “It’s all the pro-Hamas wing and the antifa people, they’re all coming out.”
It’s unclear if there is an organized “antifa” movement in the United States, despite statements from Trump and other Republicans, though some individual protestors have labeled themselves as anti-facist or antifa.
Those organizing the No Kings protests list a number of partner organizatoins, but not “antifa.”
“In June, millions of everyday Americans from every walk of life peacefully took to the streets and declared with one voice: No Kings. The world saw the power of the people, and President Trump’s attempt at a coronation collapsed under the strength of a movement rising against his abuses of power,” a statement on the “No Kings” website reads.
“Now, he’s doubling down — sending militarized agents into our communities, silencing voters, and handing billionaires giveaways while families struggle. This isn’t just politics. It’s democracy versus dictatorship. And together, we’re choosing democracy,” it continues.
The group have also promoted non-violent demonstrations.
“A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events,” a statement on the website reads.
“Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events,” it adds.
This story was updated at 11:49 a.m.
