The Warning with Steve Schmidt Behind The Scenes of the No Kings Movement | A Conversation with Ezra Levin
Oct 16, 2025
Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, is a passionate organizer driving grassroots engagement against authoritarianism in U.S. politics. He delves into the No Kings protests, highlighting over 2,700 events that symbolize the fight for democracy. Levin discusses the backlash from MAGA leaders and the importance of exercising First Amendment rights. He also addresses the psychological impact of mass protests, revealing how they combat isolation and showcase unity. Finally, Levin outlines future strategies to maintain momentum and pressure institutions.
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Mass Movement Built From The Ground
- No Kings is a decentralized movement with over 2,700 registered events across the country.
- Ezra Levin credits grassroots leaders—nurses, teachers, and everyday people—not a top-down structure, for the scale of the protests.
People Power Frustrates Authoritarians
- Authoritarians fear concentrated peaceful people power because it disproves inevitability and isolation.
- Levin frames the movement as showing there are more of them than the authoritarian coalition.
Defend Rights By Showing Up
- Defend First Amendment rights by exercising them, Levin says.
- He urges people to protest, noting millions will do so on Saturday.