Protests Hailed as 'Resistance' to Trump, But Not Obama

Activists decry Trump's actions, but stayed silent on Obama's power grabs

Apr. 1, 2026 at 4:20pm

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Democrats and left-wing activists protested against President Donald Trump, accusing him of authoritarianism. However, these same protesters remained silent when President Barack Obama took similar unilateral actions, raising questions about a double standard.

Why it matters

The coverage and reaction to the protests highlight a perceived partisan bias, where expansive executive power is tolerated or even celebrated when wielded by a Democrat, but denounced as monarchical when a Republican is in office. This undermines the credibility of the protesters' claims about the threat of executive overreach.

The details

According to the article, organizers claimed 'millions of people freely participated' in the 'No Kings' rallies against Trump. However, the same media outlets that cast Trump as an authoritarian 'reported favorably about the events,' despite a lack of similar outrage during the Obama administration, which offered 'at least 10 clear examples of presidential excess.' The article argues that if the left wishes to be taken seriously on the issue of constitutional limits, it must reckon with its own record of acquiescence to Obama's unilateral actions.

  • The protests took place on Saturday, April 1, 2026.

The players

President Donald Trump

The current President of the United States, who is being accused of authoritarianism by the protesters.

President Barack Obama

The former President of the United States, whose unilateral actions were not met with the same level of protest from the left, according to the article.

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What they’re saying

“millions of people freely participated in these rallies across the country”

— Organizers of the 'No Kings' rallies

The takeaway

The article highlights a perceived double standard in the left's reaction to executive power, where the same actions are condemned when taken by a Republican but tolerated or even celebrated when taken by a Democrat. This undermines the credibility of the protesters' claims and raises questions about the true motivations behind the outrage.