Trump Mocks ‘No Kings’ Protests, Says Schumer’s Losing Shutdown Battle

President Donald J. Trump ridiculed this weekend’s planned “No Kings” protests and took direct aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), accusing Democrats of grossly misreading both public sentiment and the political battlefield amid the ongoing government shutdown.

The nationwide demonstrations, coordinated by a coalition of progressive activist groups, are expected to take place in over 2,500 locations across the country. Organizers claim the rallies are meant to “defend democracy,” though conservatives argue they’re little more than anti-Trump spectacles designed to delegitimize a duly elected president.

In a preview clip from his upcoming interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, President Trump mocked the protesters’ central message and brushed off claims that he behaves like a monarch.

“Some people say they want to delay it for that,” Trump told Bartiromo from the Oval Office. “A king! This is not an act.”

When Bartiromo pressed him on the “No Kings” label, Trump chuckled.

“They’re saying they’re referring to me as a king,” he said. “I’m not a king.”

The president then pivoted sharply to the budget impasse driving the partial shutdown, accusing Schumer of playing political games instead of serving the American people.

“Chuck is, you know, at the end of the line,” Trump said. “He’s being beaten by everybody that they pull against it. I don’t think it matters to him. I think he’s just so dead that he’ll do anything.”

The shutdown, now stretching into its third week, has stalled federal operations as Democrats refuse to pass a spending bill without preserving certain welfare and foreign aid programs. Trump, however, said the standoff has exposed how much leverage he truly has.

“They made one mistake,” Trump said. “They didn’t realize that that gives me the right to cut programs that Republicans never wanted — giveaways, welfare programs, et cetera. And we’re doing that. We’re cutting them permanently.”

Among the cuts, the president noted, is a $20 billion infrastructure project Schumer has lobbied for over the past 15 years.

“We’re cutting a $20 billion project that Schumer fought for 15 years to get,” Trump said. “And I’m cutting the project.”

While the White House did not specify which project he meant, Schumer has long championed large-scale transportation and housing initiatives in New York, many of which rely on federal funding.

The president also addressed foreign policy developments, revealing that Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro recently tried to negotiate with Washington in a bid to halt U.S. military strikes against drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean.

Responding to a reporter during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump made headlines for his unfiltered answer.

“He has offered everything. He’s offered everything. You’re right. You know why?” Trump said. “Because he doesn’t want to f*** around with the United States.”

The remark — which drew audible gasps from the press corps — underscored Trump’s hard-line approach toward narco-terrorism and hostile regimes.

Over the past two months, U.S. warships and aircraft have conducted multiple precision strikes against suspected Venezuelan drug submarines and trafficking boats. Defense officials say the missions have crippled smuggling networks linked to Maduro’s socialist government and significantly reduced the flow of cocaine and fentanyl toward U.S. shores.

For the Trump administration, both the domestic and foreign policy fronts reflect the same underlying principle: strength through decisive leadership. While Democrats organize rallies and shout slogans, President Trump is cutting waste, dismantling cartels, and defending America’s sovereignty — no crown required.