Bill O’Reilly made headlines on Monday with his sharp criticism of the organizers behind the recent nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations. According to O’Reilly, these individuals “hate America,” though he tempered his statement by noting that most of the participants were likely just uninformed citizens swept up in the fervor of the movement.

During his appearance on “On Balance,” O’Reilly remarked, “The organizers hate America, every single one that organized this. Every group is far, far left.” His comments came in response to the massive protests that unfolded over the weekend, which saw roughly 2,600 demonstrations across all 50 states. Millions took to the streets to voice their opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration, voting rights, and the economy, with significant rallies occurring in major cities like Washington, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, President Trump was dismissive of the protests, labeling them a “joke” during a conversation aboard Air Force One on Sunday. He also speculated that the demonstrations were financially backed by liberal donor George Soros, a frequent target of conservative criticism.

Trump dismissed the protests as a “joke” while aboard Air Force One on Sunday, suggesting they were funded by liberal donor George Soros.

“I looked at the people they’re not representative of this country,” Trump told reporters. “The demonstrations were very small, very ineffective, and the people were whacked out.”

O’Reilly said he observed a demonstration in Kingston, New York, and described it as “a party” with families, children and ice cream vendors. He said protesters lacked specific grievances and appeared primarily concerned about immigration enforcement.

“The folks are involved in a situation where they don’t quite understand it,” O’Reilly said, distinguishing between organizers and participants. 

He criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson for characterizing all demonstrators as communists who hate America.

O’Reilly praised protesters for avoiding violence despite isolated calls for it from what he termed “mentally ill people.”

Trump rejected characterizations of himself as acting like a monarch, telling Fox News, “I’m not a king. I work my ass off to make our country great.”

Democratic leaders highlighted the largely peaceful nature of the protests and called for unity. The demonstrations drew less than 10% of the 75 million Americans who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the previous election, O’Reilly noted.

partner The Hill contributed to this report.