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Actor John Cusack made headlines over the weekend with a short but fiery message to U.S. President Donald Trump at the No Kings protest in Chicago.
The 59-year-old actor, known for films like High Fidelity and Say Anything, spoke at the protest on October 18, part of the nationwide movement opposing the “authoritarian power grabs” by Trump and his administration.
- John Cusack spoke at Chicago’s No Kings protest, condemning Trump’s authoritarian tactics and urging resistance against fascism.
- Nearly 7 million people protested nationwide, opposing Trump’s government shutdown and plans to deploy Border Patrol in cities.
- Cusack criticized Trump’s authoritarianism, linking it to historical abuses.
On Saturday, as the government entered the third week of shutdown, protests took place in more than 2,500 cities across the U.S. and even abroad.
The first such protest took place in June, for which over 5 million people turned up.
Actor John Cusack made headlines for his fiery message to Trump
Image credits: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Nearly 7 million turned up over the weekend.
During a live interview with CNN at the rally, Cusack criticized Trump’s plan to deploy Border Patrol and ICE agents to major cities, including Chicago.
“Everyone knows the score, right? The authoritarians divide and conquer, and they create an ‘other,’ then they pick on the person, harass them, jail them,” he said.
“That’s all used as a distraction so they can steal as much as they can to maintain power. We all know history. That’s what he’s doing. We have masked goons roaming the streets, hiding their faces, abducting people.”
Actor John Cusack: “The whole country was founded on no kings. We have masked goons roaming the streets, hiding their faces, abducting people. Go to hell. If he thinks this place is gonna be a fascist hub, no chance” pic.twitter.com/AScmc0dA2e
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) October 19, 2025
Trump has asked the Supreme Court for permission to send troops into Chicago, among several other Democratic-controlled cities, arguing that National Guard deployment is needed to control violence, reduce crime, and support his deportation initiatives.
He has collided with Democratic senators who argue against this need.
Earlier this month, Trump authorized the deployment of 300 guard members to Chicago following immigration protests. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said Trump was trying to “manufacture a crisis” and filed a legal case.
Over 7 million people turned up for No Kings protests this weekend
Image credits: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
On Thursday, a federal appeals court rejected Trump’s request to lift an order preventing the deployment of the National Guard across Illinois.
When asked about what headline he finds most upsetting, Cusack said, “It’s all upsetting. Seeing sort of a fascist authoritarian, seeing that sort of cosplay that the right wing has been fooling around with for so long, seeing it kind of devolve into the real thing is predictable, but deeply saddening.”
And lastly, on behalf of Chicago, Cusack asked Trump to “Go to hell.”
Image credits: Guy Smallman/Getty Images
The protest in Chicago was large, with thousands of participants carrying banners reading “Democracy — Not Dynasty” and “No King In Our House.”
The organizers said the demonstration was peaceful, despite some Trump allies labeling it a “hate America rally.” On Thursday, Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel compared the No Kings protests to the American Revolution.
Here’s a time lapse of Chicago yesterday at the No Kings Protest.
Let me guess, MAGA, this too is an “old video” and this didn’t actually happen, right? 🤣 pic.twitter.com/WjtV8XhjJL
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) October 19, 2025
Trump addressed the rallies in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, saying, “A king! This is not an act.”
“You know, they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” he said at another point.
Cusack’s activism is not new. In previous years, he has spoken out on labor rights and climate change. Earlier this year, Cusack urged fans to boycott Trump’s presidential inauguration, calling it a “totally meaningless broadcast.”
Cusack called Trump a fascist authoritarian
Image credits: Genaro Molina/Getty Images
His participation in the “No Kings” protest adds him to a growing list of Hollywood figures actively involved in political movements, alongside Jane Fonda, Mark Ruffalo, and John Legend.
“What’s interesting is that he doesn’t understand that all the labor rights around the world came from this town, this place,” Cusack said of Trump. “So if he thinks this place is going to be a fascist hub—no chance!”
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