Podcast Summary: Deadline: White House

Episode: "We will not be ruled by a king or monarch"

Air Date: October 17, 2025
Host: Nicolle Wallace
Featured Guests: Rev. Al Sharpton, John Heilemann, Hunter Dunn, Ben Rhodes, Ambassador Michael McFaul, Chelsea Handler

Overview

In this episode, Nicolle Wallace leads an urgent, charged discussion about the "No Kings" protest movement, which has exploded in response to increasingly autocratic actions by Donald Trump during his second term. Drawing parallels to America’s founding—and the original rejection of monarchy—the conversation centers on the mass, non-violent resistance to what is frequently described as Trump’s efforts to consolidate power and undermine democratic norms. The episode also delves into Trump’s tumultuous relationship with Vladimir Putin, evolving U.S. policy on Ukraine, escalating military interventions in the Caribbean, and the cultural and grassroots pushback to Trump-era authoritarianism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

I. "No Kings" Protest Movement: Historical Context & Current Relevance

(00:00–13:28)

• Revival of Founding Ideals

  • The panel draws a direct line from America's 1776 rebellion against monarchy to today’s "No Kings" movement, positioning it as democracy’s defense against authoritarian regression.
  • “The entire idea behind the founding of our country is that we would not be ruled by a king or a monarch… That message actually has to be reiterated today in the days and times of Donald Trump.” – Nicolle Wallace (01:39)

• Recent Trigger Events

  • Notable escalation of Trump's authoritarian measures: use of federal troops in U.S. cities, severe immigration tactics against citizens and veterans, DOJ prosecutions against political adversaries.
  • Attacks on the "No Kings" movement by Speaker Mike Johnson, who labels attendees as “Hamas supporters, Antifa types, and people who hate America.”
    • “Go to a no Kings rally. What do you see? …They're fundamentally nonviolent. On the other end, you've got a regime that's led by a guy who cheered the January 6th insurrection… This is an authoritarian regime that is very scared of mass organizing, peaceful protest.” – Quoting Ezra Levin of Indivisible (04:38)

II. No Kings: Strength, Coalition, and Brand

(13:28–16:22)

• Strength in Nonviolence and Inclusiveness

  • Rev. Al Sharpton emphasizes the broad coalition: grandmas, mothers, a diversity of communities.
    • “You have to have a consistency rather than them saying that's isolated and that's one-off...a lot of people that may disagree on certain particulars will be united against having an autocracy and go to the streets tomorrow.” – Rev. Al Sharpton (05:28)

• Brand Resonance

  • “No Kings” as a unifying, cross-partisan slogan, more potent now than “MAGA,” able to encompass those opposed to autocracy, regardless of broader political disagreements.
  • “No Kings feels like the best brand that has been conceived in American politics since Maga… No Kings is even better… there’s no one in our memory that has tried to be king more openly and arrogantly than Donald Trump. You don’t have to convince anyone.” – Nicolle Wallace (07:02, 07:27), Rev. Sharpton (07:27)

III. Grassroots Organization & The Power of the People

(13:28–17:08, 23:12–25:32)

• Movement Leadership and Philosophy

  • Hunter Dunn (5051 Movement): The real leaders are “we the people,” with a decentralized, intersectional coalition across unions, advocacy orgs, immigrant and rights groups.
    • “…the real leaders are we the people…regardless of race, class, or creed, who recognize that Donald Trump’s administration is the gravest threat to not just democracy, but to our neighbors.” – Hunter Dunn (15:02)

• Strategies for Sustained Action

  • Protest planners stress ongoing, decentralized organizing—“let everybody work in their space”—and broad participation, including former Trump voters who reject autocracy.
    • “If you're a trans group, if you're civil rights like National Action Network, if you're feminist group, whatever, work in your space… including middle Americans who may have voted for Donald Trump but don't like the idea of a king.” – Rev. Sharpton (24:43)

• Ensuring Nonviolence

  • Organizers and leaders urge strict nonviolent discipline, aware pro-Trump forces want “one shot of something violent” to delegitimize the movement.
    • “There will be people there that want to get one shot of something violent and turn this whole thing into something that it is not. It's people peacefully saying they want their country to remain what it's supposed to be.” – Rev. Sharpton (30:36)

IV. Political Ramifications and Shifting Coalitions

(09:52–13:28, 20:08–23:12)

• Trump’s Waning Approval

  • Analysis of polling: Trump’s core support has shrunk to “the Die Hard MAGA diehards,” with notable losses among young, Hispanic, and otherwise previously supportive voters.
  • “All of those gains have gone away at this point…basically, the same thing [as with Biden’s waning support] is happening to Trump.” – John Heilemann (10:31)

• The Tipping Point: Economic and Social Backlash

  • Economic pain (rising costs, failure to deliver on campaign promises) and moral outrage (inhumane deportations, militarization of cities) have united disparate groups against Trump’s regime.
  • “It has now gone beyond whether you're Democrat, Republican, like this guy or not. It’s your own self-interest. And I think the self-interest of people is always been the key to organizing.” – Rev. Sharpton (09:07)

V. Cultural Pushback: The Role of Boycotts and Celebrity Activism

(25:32–29:53)

• Economic Boycotts and Strikes

  • High profile calls for boycotts of companies complicit in ICE raids (e.g., Chelsea Handler calls for Home Depot boycott, 26:10) and discussion of a national strike proposal from Scott Galloway.

• Celebrity Involvement and the “Kimmel Turning Point”

  • Recent cultural icons—Jimmy Kimmel, Chelsea Handler, Jason Bateman—spark real-world consequences for Trump-aligned companies and create new energy.
  • “The Kimmel thing is a turning point… When you start to see a critical mass building where people who have strong views about politics but aren't out there blasting them…have now kind of reached their limit… That is a big moment.” – John Heilemann (27:13)

VI. Ukraine, Putin, and America’s Diminished Status

(33:33–39:38)

• Trump’s Deference to Putin

  • Trump’s vacillation on providing Ukraine with missiles, evident willingness to ask Putin for “permission” to arm Zelensky.

    • “This absurd notion, if it’s true, that he asked Putin for permission to give the Ukrainians Tomahawks, just shows that…he fundamentally does not understand how to negotiate with Vladimir Putin.” – Amb. McFaul (35:12)

  • “Putin has figured Trump out. As long as you give him a big stage and the optics are good… it doesn't really matter if you don't change any of your behavior.” – Ben Rhodes (36:10)

  • Despite rhetorical shifts, Trump has not improved policy: no new weapons, no increased sanctions, U.S. companies profiting from conflict, not aiding Ukraine.

VII. Military Actions in the Caribbean & Venezuela

(40:10–43:39)

• Escalating, Legally Dubious Military Strikes

  • Discussion of sudden resignation of Adm. Halsey (Southern Command) amid controversial, legally questionable strikes on boats labeled drug traffickers.

    • “The strikes on these boats have no legal basis…This is one of those personnel stories that is about a lot more than just personnel…At a minimum, it seemed like Admiral Halsey was uncomfortable with the absence of a legal basis for these strikes.” – Ben Rhodes (41:48)

  • Mounting evidence that these operations and the increased presence of U.S. forces may signal plans for escalation or covert action in Venezuela.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

America’s Founding Spirit Reclaimed

• “We will not be ruled by a king or monarch.” – Episode Title/Theme (Opening)
• “No Kings feels like the best brand that has been conceived in American politics since MAGA… No Kings is even better.” – Nicolle Wallace (07:02)

Movement for All Americans

• “Even the most conservative person says, yeah, I don’t want a king. I might not agree with Democrats, I might not agree with progressives, but this guy talking about he runs the Justice Department, he decides—no, I don’t want that.” – Rev. Sharpton (08:05)

On the Grassroots Nature

• “We the people are the leaders of this protest because we’re the leaders of a government that’s supposed to be by and for the people, and the government’s not respecting that right now. So we have to make them respect it.” – Hunter Dunn (15:02)

On Trump’s Eroded Support

• “Those 37% that we’re down basically at the Die Hard MAGA diehards… all of the major subgroups that Trump experienced these…dramatic improvements with…all of those gains have gone away at this point.” – John Heilemann (10:31)

On Boycotts and Influencer Power

• “If you’re as disgusted as I am by these ICE raids, then we need to start boycotting the companies that are enabling or profiting off of these ICE raids. So I’m going to start with Home Depot…” – Chelsea Handler (26:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–13:28: Introduction, “No Kings” protests, historical frame, opposition’s attacks, coalition breadth.
• 13:28–16:22: Interview with Hunter Dunn, decentralized leadership, organizing principles.
• 17:08–20:08: Regional focus (LA/Southern California), reach of protests in blue and red areas.
• 20:08–23:12: The movement’s tipping point, economic grievances, coalition dynamics.
• 23:12–25:32: How to hold a diverse coalition together through 2024 election.
• 25:32–29:53: Celebrities, boycotts, Kimmel incident, culture's role in protest power.
• 30:36–31:28: Nonviolence message, strategic discipline.
• 33:33–39:38: Ukraine, Trump’s policy failures, Putin relationship analysis.
• 40:10–43:39: Escalating U.S. military actions in Caribbean, Admiral resignation.
• 43:47–45:30: Closing remarks—role of the people as the ultimate branch of government.

Tone and Style

Passionate, urgent, and defiant, the panel uses a blend of historical analogy, grassroots boosterism, and sober policy critique. There’s a clear sense of alarm over the erosion of American democracy, leavened by optimism about the potential for unified action and resistance. The language is informal and vivid, peppered with zingers and cultural references (“No Kings is the best brand since MAGA”; “they want one shot of something violent to turn this whole thing into what it is not”), matching the “civic pep talk” energy Wallace and guests so often bring.

Summary Takeaways

• The “No Kings” protests are a direct response to what many see as Donald Trump’s overtly authoritarian actions.
• The movement is broad, decentralized, and committed to nonviolence, drawing participants from all demographics and political backgrounds—including former Trump voters who now repudiate autocracy.
• Trump faces withering support, and economic/cultural pain points are shifting the landscape rapidly.
• Not only are mass protests planned nationwide in red and blue regions, but economic boycotts and celebrity activism are adding new pressure points.
• Meanwhile, high-profile policy failures—from Trump’s wavering on Ukraine and close alignment with Putin, to worrying signs of military escalation in Venezuela—suggest growing instability and dissent both externally and within the U.S. government.
• The episode closes with a rallying call: the American people remain the ultimate check on government power.