On Saturday, March 28th, thousands gathered together to protest against Trump’s agenda in Missoula, Montana, as well as other cities all over the U.S. for the third “No Kings” rally.
In large cities and small towns, protesters carried signs, chanted, and gave speeches against the administration’s approach to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the war in Iran. Additionally, they accused Trump of having too much power and attacking democratic rules.
Organizers of this event — Indivisible Missoula, Missoula Resists, and Stand Up Fight Back — said that about 10,000 people attended this rally. As the protesters marched, they said things like “No Ice” and “We the people have the power.” Organizers state that they are leading the fight against the Trump administration; they argue that his leadership style does not serve the people and is said to lead like a dictatorship. The U.S. was built on the idea of freedom and power of the people, not the power of one single person.
Protesters believe gathering in large groups will force the administration to listen; they hope their voices will be heard and create change for the current state of our country. No Kings has caught the attention of the media as there were countless reporters interviewing the organizers of the rally, as well as participants. One participant said, “As a citizen of this country, it is difficult to have a president who doesn’t love it”. Another said, “We’re tired of the administration and what it is doing to the Constitution, so we are here to support”.
Protesters voiced their concerns about many issues that have affected their daily lives, such as the use of tax dollars to support the war in Iran rather than to help the country’s people. Activists also voiced concerns about inflation. “Everyone sees the prices rising, unattainable housing, and attacks of marginalized groups…any group that is not rich and powerful is seen as unworthy,” a protester said.
“I’m protesting because as a 12 year old, I should not have to worry about my future,” says Lur Hammon Combe with her father standing by her. Combe attended the rally because she feels worried about immigration and not feeling safe in America.
Maggie Smith, a senior who attends many Missoula protests said, “Where are all the young people?” Although there was a range of people at No Kings in Missoula, the majority appeared to be over 50-60. Adults are often more informed of politics and the effects they have on them, which could be why there isn’t as large of a younger audience; another part of this is teenagers have seen protests to be dangerous on social media and fear attending for their safety. This may be partially true in other states such as Minnesota where two people were killed and 30+ more have been arrested for observing and reporting ICE operations. In Missoula, they have not yet experienced anti-protester violence or violence from ICE.
Missoula has had some counter protesters, but they have not been dangerous. They are usually seen driving by yelling or lurking in the back of a protest saying things such as, “No more sleepy Biden”.
The foreign policy was also criticized by protestors, which includes increased tariffs on foreign goods. “Now he is spending millions of dollars on a war we shouldn’t be in,” an attendee said. Even Trump supporters are seeing how these tariffs affect them in their daily lives and some have regretted their decisions of voting for Trump. When Trump was reelected for his second term, he had promised lower prices on goods which made many drawn to vote for him; however, prices on many goods are higher now than before Trump was elected.
In Great Falls, a city whose county had a 59% vote for Trump, about 800 people filled the sidewalks along a bridge downtown on Saturday. At this protest, there weren’t any organized speakers or a stage; however, they waved signs at passing cars with messages reading, “Hate never made America great” and “No sign is big enough to list all the reasons I’m here”.
In Hamilton, which has about 5,000 residents, a few dozen people gathered on the streets with signs like, “I’m proud of our constitution” and “We defend your right to disagree.” This is impactful because of the way Trump has been bypassing the constitution rules since the first month of his taking office. Hamilton is located in Ravalli County; the 2024 election votes state that 69% favored Trump.
In Helena, over 1,500 gathered across the lawn and on the sidewalks in front of the State Capital building. Although Helena was not the largest protest in Montana, it was significant due to the contentious permitting battle. The organizers initially were unable to get a permit for the event after the Montana Department of Administration changed the permit rules in February — this rule forbade all weekend rallies that required setup. This change in rules was very upsetting to the public because all rallies are held on weekends and it would be nearly impossible to hold the rally at a different time. Because of this, Montana reversed this rule on March 20, 2026.
The Trump administration dismissed the Saturday protests. “The only people who care about these Trump Derangement protests are the reporters who are paid to cover them,” said Abigail Jackson, the White House Spokesperson. Trump’s administration brushes off these protests by claiming that people are forced to be there, but protesters and reporters at the events claim this is false. Some reporters have interviewed and videoed protesters asking if they are forced to be there. All have said no and listed many reasons why they take the time to defend their country.
Indivisible, a nationwide organization, says that its goal is focused on “stopping the rise of authoritarianism” and “building a real democracy that benefits the people.” In Montana, participating in these protests is significant because it is a red state. Will No Kings finally catch the attention it needs from the government? Or will it continue to be passed by?
