'No Kings' Reverend Makes Last-Minute Plea Against 'Authoritarian' Trump
Source: Newsweek
Published Oct 17, 2025 at 11:25 AM EDT updated Oct 17, 2025 at 06:35 PM EDT
As the country prepares for a second day of nationwide "No Kings" protests, a prominent minister involved in the organizing of the demonstrations has told Newsweek why it’s so importance for Americans to stand up to an increasingly "authoritarian" President Donald Trump.
At least 3,000 demonstrations in towns and cities across all 50 states are planned for the second round of "No Kings" protests on Saturday, according to organizers.
In an interview, the Reverend Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, a Baptist minister and the president and CEO of the Interfaith Alliance, which has been involved in organizing the demonstrations, told Newsweek Saturday's protests were a response to what he called Trump's "assault" on the country, including the deployment of the military to U.S. cities amid an aggressive immigration crackdown.
"We have a president who is sending our military into our cities unwanted," said Raushenbush. "That’s authoritarian … We also are seeing people abducted off the streets in our cities with no due process. This is an affront to human dignity and that’s incredibly terrifying." He called on faith communities to show up to demonstrations wherever they can, saying: "It’s so important in this moment, when we know that democracy is under threat because of an authoritarian effort by the current president, that faith communities show up and show unity and show the brilliance of our diversity. That is our strength, and not this idea of one king, one religion."
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/no-kings-reverend-plea-against-trump-10895459
= new reply since forum marked as read
