When U.S. President Donald Trump, together with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, launched his war against Iran a month ago, he believed the airstrikes would need to last only a few days, according to Hebrew media reports.

The strategy was that by assassinating top Iranian officials and carpet-bombing Iranian cities, the Iranian people would take to the streets and topple their own government. Iranians did take to the streets—but to show support for the Islamic Republic and its retaliatory operations against the U.S. and Israel. Another large crowd showed up to oppose their government. Not in Iran, however, but in the United States.

An estimated 9 million people participated in more than 3,200 rallies across all 50 states on Saturday, marking the third and largest wave of “No Kings” demonstrations against Trump’s policies—with opposition to his illegal war against Iran emerging as the central rallying cry.

The nationwide day of action, organized by Indivisible, 50501, the ACLU, and other grassroots groups, represented a significant expansion from the movement’s first rally last June, which drew approximately 4–6 million people. Organizers reported that nearly two-thirds of the events were held in smaller communities, reflecting a roughly 40% increase in geographic spread compared to the initial mobilization.

Protesters flooded streets from New York City to Los Angeles, with flagship events in St. Paul, Minnesota; Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco. The Minnesota State Capitol drew an estimated 100,000 attendees—described by organizers as the “largest protest in Minnesota history.” Demonstrations also took place internationally, with solidarity marches in London, Paris, and Rome, highlighting global concern over U.S. military aggressions.

Opposition to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli aggression against Iran was a primary driver of the demonstrations, with protesters expressing outrage over America’s “endless wars” and the rising human and economic costs of the assault. The war against Iran, now entering its fifth week, has claimed the lives of over 1,400 Iranians, using billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to create the carnage. Dozens of U.S. service members have also been killed or injured, and rising gas and grocery prices nationwide are squeezing American pockets.

U.S. media featured many stories from participants across the country. For instance, demonstrators in DeKalb, Illinois, carried signs reading “No blood for oil” and said the war was the tipping point that brought them to the streets for the first time. One attendee, 37-year-old Runkle of DeKalb, rode a bicycle pulling a fake fuel pump on a trailer as part of his protest. “My main focus is the war, the damage that’s being done on our behalf to people overseas,” Runkle told an American reporter. “To me, we have issues here, and that’s up to us to take care of. But when we start causing harm to other countries all over the world—whether it’s financial or lives—that’s not right.”

In Rockford, Illinois, Stanley Campbell—a longtime peace activist and Vietnam War veteran—held up a sign he’s had for over 20 years, which originally read “No Iraq War.” Campbell said he made a small change: “I did what I think George W. Bush might have done, replace the ‘Q’ with an ‘N.’ So unfortunately, this is a reusable sign that now says ‘No Iran War.’”

At the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., a group of Palestinian mothers protested, waving a 10-foot-tall Palestinian flag. “Most Americans don’t know that our tax dollars are being used to subsidize violence,” said 42-year-old Hazami Barmada in remarks to U.S. media. “This is happening while many Americans can’t afford housing, milk, school, or healthcare. Prices continue to go up as we are fighting Israel’s wars.”

Throughout the day, demonstrators chanted “No Kings, No War, No ICE” and “This is what democracy looks like!” Placards carried slogans including “No Kings in America,” “Power belongs to the people,” “War crimes don’t hide sex crimes,” “Tyranny requires fear,” “No blood for oil,” and “Release the Epstein files.” Many signs directly challenged Trump’s leadership style, with “No king Trump” echoing across multiple rally sites as protesters accused the president of acting more like a monarch than an elected official.

Lawmakers slam Trump

Several U.S. lawmakers attended the Saturday rallies. Senator Bernie Sanders addressed the St. Paul rally, drawing historical parallels to previous deadly U.S. military engagements. “Americans were lied to about the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, and we are being lied to today about the war in Iran,” Sanders told the crowd. “This war must end immediately.”

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz delivered a fiery speech criticizing federal immigration enforcement actions following the January deaths of two U.S. citizens—Renee Good and Alex Pretti—during ICE operations in Minneapolis. “When the wannabe dictator in the White House sent his untrained, aggressive thugs to do damage to Minnesota, it was you, Minnesota, who stood up for your neighbors, who stood up for decency, who stood up for kindness,” Walz said.

In Westport, Connecticut, Representative Jim Himes warned a crowd that “this time he’s got no guardrails... and he’s doing whatever he wants to, whenever he wants to, and it’s ruining everything.” From Washington, D.C., Representative John B. Larson issued a formal statement declaring, “There are no kings in America. We have been rejecting kings since 1776, and that’s not going to change now.”

The White House dismissed the rallies, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson describing them as “Trump derangement therapy sessions” and “completely meaningless.”

Organizers have announced plans for a nationwide general strike on May 1, calling for “No work, no school, no shopping” as the movement continues to build momentum ahead of the midterm elections. Trump’s war against Iran is expected to harm his party at the ballot box. Analysts say the president himself may see the premature end of his stint if the Democrats take control of congress.