Donald Trump's "No Kings" sewage video is no joke

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Donald Trump’s “No Kings” sewage video is no joke
The president's scatological video shows his contempt for democracy

By Chauncey DeVega
Senior Writer
Published October 21, 2025 6:45AM (EDT)


(Salon) On Saturday, the “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s authoritarian actions took place in more than 2,600 locations across the United States. An estimated 7 million people participated, dwarfing even the size of the first event in June, making it the largest single-day of protests in American history.

But instead of addressing their concerns, Trump mocked them.

On Sunday, he shared an AI-generated video “inspired” by “Top Gun,” the iconic 1986 movie starring Tom Cruise. (It even used “Danger Zone,” Kenny Loggins’ song from the film, which the singer demanded be “scrubbed.”) The fake video depicts “King Trump,” complete with a crown, piloting a plane and unleashing what appears to be human waste on No Kings marchers.

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In a functioning democracy, massive public protests would send a loud, clear signal to the president and his party that they need to recalibrate their positions and behavior to maintain support and avoid being voted out of office, or at least to do a better job of persuading the public to join their side.

But America is no longer a functioning democracy. Norms about legitimacy and governance increasingly do not apply. Trump is an aspiring autocrat who is rapidly expanding and consolidating his power. He views public opinion as largely invalid, embracing instead a maximalist view of presidential power and authority where he is the personal embodiment of the state. The vox populi, the chorus of public opinion, should be silent and ignored unless it is praising him and his MAGA movement. .............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2025/10/21/donald-trumps-no-kings-sewage-video-is-no-joke/