The Jim Acosta Show: Live with No Kings March in DC

Date: October 18, 2025
Host: Jim Acosta
Episode Theme:
A live, on-the-ground report from the "No Kings" protest march in Washington, D.C., focused on defending democracy, rejecting autocracy, and encouraging peaceful, nonviolent activism in response to rising authoritarianism in U.S. politics.

Episode Overview

Jim Acosta walks listeners through the unfolding "No Kings" March in Washington, D.C. He delivers vivid, real-time narration, nuanced commentary, and first-hand observations from the heart of the protest as massive crowds gather along 14th Street, moving toward the Capitol and the National Mall. The episode strongly emphasizes the power of peaceful protest, the rejection of dictatorial and anti-democratic tendencies in government, and the resilience of people power.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene: D.C. on No Kings Day

• Acosta positions himself in the crowd as the march proceeds down 14th Street toward the Capitol, highlighting the significant police presence and a palpable anticipation of confrontation.
• He urges nonviolence, warning, "the authorities are going to be out in the Hill. ...They've been itching for a spark. ...Remember, peaceful nonviolence protesting is something that the powers that be have always just, like, through the year. ...My strong recommendation is to employ that strategy throughout no Kings Day, wherever you're going to be across the country." (01:04)

The Spirit and Messaging of the Protest

• The episode describes a lively, diverse crowd holding signs reading "No King," "Impeach Trump," "Freedom not fascism," and "We the people."
• The crowd’s vocal resistance is noted: "We've already heard 'Fuck Stephen Miller.' That is already a chant we've heard so far from the crowd." (02:00)
• Acosta highlights grievances with the current administration: deploying ICE, "roughing up migrants, roughing up U.S. citizens, abusing their authority and so on." (02:19)
• Participants reject being painted as anti-American:
  "Mike Johnson saying this is a hate America rally. I mean, first of all, shame on Mike Johnson. This is not a Hate America rally. This is a Love America rally." (05:00)

Organization and Coverage

• Major live coverage is planned across Substack and YouTube by Acosta, Don Lemon, and Joy Reid.
• Acosta invites all, even those not physically at the march, to participate by tuning in:
  "If you're not into a march...put us on... and head down to your local march or protest. But in the meantime, I mean, this is, what America is all about. It's all about people power. It's all about rising up against oppression." (04:00)

Tone and Personal Touches

• Acosta injects humor and energy amid the tension ("warming up my one liners," "We're on the lookout for any frogs, any unicorns... I don't do costumes, folks. I don't do costumes. Not until Halloween." – 06:50).
• He touches on Donald Trump's response to protest, stating:
  "The thing that he hated the most was that there were protests right after he got inaugurated... This is the kind of stuff that really gets under his skin. And that's part of what needs to happen here. People need to be loud, they need to be boisterous, need to be peaceful, need to be nonviolent." (09:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nonviolence:
  "They're itching for a spark. Don't give it to them. This is the thing that irritates them the most. Disdain, Resolve. Peaceful, nonviolent protesting. What America is all about, loving your country is all about. And it's what no Kings is all about."
  — Jim Acosta (10:45)

• On the Crowd's Energy:
  "Folks across the country, people are showing up in force to say they're not going to take this anymore."
  — Jim Acosta (02:55)

• Rejecting False Narratives:
  "This is not a Hate America rally. This is a Love America rally."
  — Jim Acosta (05:12)

• On Trump’s Sensitivities:
  "When I was covering him the first time around, I can tell you point blank, the thing that he hated the most was that there were protests right after he got inaugurated on January 20, back in 2017."
  — Jim Acosta (09:30)

• On Activism:
  "This is, what America is all about. It's all about people power. It's all about rising up against oppression."
  — Jim Acosta (04:05)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00 – Jim Acosta begins live narration from the D.C. march.
• 01:00-02:30 – Warnings about potential confrontation; affirmation of peaceful protest.
• 03:00-05:00 – Description of crowd chants, activist signs, and calls for unity; denouncement of hate-America characterizations.
• 07:00-09:30 – Commentary on protest symbolism, Trump's aversion to demonstrations, and calls for boisterous but peaceful dissent.
• 10:30-End – Reiteration of peaceful protest importance, encouragement to join coverage on multiple channels, and closing remarks as Acosta prepares to move further into the march.

Overall Tone and Takeaway

Jim Acosta delivers impassioned, firsthand coverage saturated with urgency, cautious optimism, and deep reverence for the power of protest in American democracy. The episode’s underlying message is one of hope and resistance—urging listeners not to "give into the lies, not to give into fear," but to stand up robustly and peacefully for justice and against creeping autocracy.

For more coverage, watch the live streams on Substack and YouTube hosted by Jim Acosta, Don Lemon, and Joy Reid. The No Kings March is happening in D.C. and in cities across the country all day.