Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, characterized the recent “No Kings” protests opposing President Trump as a “stunt” orchestrated by Democrats. According to Johnson, these demonstrations were designed to provide a distraction amidst the ongoing government shutdown.

During an appearance on ABC News’s “This Week,” Johnson questioned the necessity of the protests. He argued that their occurrence itself underscores their redundancy, implying that they were more about spectacle than substance.

“The irony in their message is quite evident to everyone,” Johnson remarked. “If President Trump were truly a king, the government wouldn’t be shut down right now. Moreover, they wouldn’t have the freedom to protest on the National Mall, which remains open because President Trump hasn’t closed it,” he pointed out.

Johnson further claimed that the protests served as a political maneuver. “They needed a show, a stunt. Chuck Schumer needs cover right now,” he asserted, accusing Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of using the shutdown for political gain.

The protests drew millions of Americans to the streets on Saturday, with approximately 2,600 events taking place across all 50 states. Demonstrations were held in various locations, from small towns to major urban centers like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, as citizens voiced their discontent with the president and his administration.

Many Democratic lawmakers, including Schumer and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, joined the activists, while Republicans largely backed Trump and criticized the demonstrations. 

The protests came after nearly three weeks of a shutdown, with no sign of a deal in the works to reopen the government. Democrats have insisted that the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year, be extended before they agree to support the GOP plan to reopen the government.

“We congratulate them on an apparently violent-free, free speech exercise. I was a First Amendment lawyer for 20 years. We defend that right,” Johnson said.