No Kings, No War on the People — Congress Must Rein In Abuses of Power

On this No Kings Day, Americans remind our leaders that this nation rejected monarchy. Yet recent actions from the White House look less like constitutional government and more like rule by decree. Abroad: Since September, the U.S. military has carried out multiple lethal strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean. At least the high-20s have been killed, and survivors from the latest strike are being held aboard a U.S. Navy ship. Members of Congress and legal experts are demanding clarity on the legal authority, the civilian toll, and whether the War Powers Resolution is being followed. The head of U.S. Southern Command has announced an early retirement amid a growing buildup near Venezuela — another signal that congressional oversight is urgently needed. On January 20, 2025, the President signed an executive order authorizing the designation of certain cartels as terrorist organizations, later implemented by the State Department and Treasury. However, the use of military force still requires congressional consent and transparency. At home: Federal operations in Chicago have drawn court scrutiny after warrantless arrests and property damage during a large-scale immigration raid. A federal judge has ordered body cameras and stricter protocols. Lower courts blocked deployment of the National Guard, and the administration has now appealed to the Supreme Court to allow it. Meanwhile, the White House has declared “Antifa” a domestic terrorist organization and issued a directive on “domestic terrorism,” despite experts noting there is no legal framework for such designations. Labeling dissent as terrorism is incompatible with American democracy. No Kings means: • No president wages war — abroad or at home — without the people’s consent through Congress. • No president turns the U.S. military into a domestic police force. • No president redefines protest as “terrorism.” I urge you to act now: • Hold hearings on the legal basis for the Caribbean strikes, the intelligence used to justify them, and civilian harm assessments. • Reaffirm the limits of the War Powers Resolution and Posse Comitatus Act. • Investigate domestic federal deployments and ensure accountability for unlawful raids and detentions. • Demand a legal explanation for labeling political movements as “terrorist organizations.” On this No Kings Day, please defend the Constitution and make clear: in America, no one is above the law.