President Donald Trump, ahead of nationwide "No Kings" protests opposing his administration, stated in a Fox Business interview that "They're referring to me as a king. I'm not a king." He denied acting like a monarch despite organizers of the protests accusing him of pushing the country toward authoritarianism with his policies and actions. Trump emphasized that he is not a king while asserting that the ongoing government shutdown gives him the power to cut federal programs unilaterally, particularly those he says Democrats supported. These protests are seen by organizers as a pushback against what they view as Trump's autocratic style and policy directions, while Trump and many Republicans dismiss the protests as anti-American or "hate America" rallies. This occurred in the context of a large-scale movement with thousands of events across the US expressing discontent with Trump's leadership and policies.