On October 18, US President Donald Trump posted on social network Truth Social an AI-generated video showing him wearing a crown, piloting a fighter jet with the words “King Trump” printed on it. The fighter jet flew over Times Square in New York City and doused a crowd of protesters with a brown liquid, while the song ” Danger Zone” played in the background .

Mr Trump also posted an AI-generated video of himself wearing a crown, robe and sword, ending with Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, kneeling.

The video was posted by the US President after millions of people participated in peaceful “No King” protests in all 50 US states on October 18 to protest the Trump administration’s policies on immigration, education and national security. Organizers estimated that about 2,600 marches took place.

Mr Schumer posted on social media X photos with protesters in New York City, saying “we will not let President Trump continue to erode democracy”.

Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X to refute Schumer’s previous statement about “Kingless Day.” “If President Trump were a king, the government would be open right now,” Johnson said, posting a picture of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The picture read, “There is a real ‘Kingless Day.’ It’s July 4th, which we call Independence Day.”

In an interview aired on October 19, Mr. Trump dismissed the idea that he was acting like an emperor. “They say I’m like a king. But I’m not a king,” he said.

This is the second “No King” protest in the US since Mr. Trump returned to the White House in January. The move took place when the US government has been shut down since October 1 due to the bipartisan failure to reach a consensus on the budget for fiscal year 2026, causing many public services to stop operating.

In the first wave of protests in June, an estimated 4-6 million people participated.