http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/laura/trump-respect-2025.pngSeven million Americans marched for democracy, and Trump called himself king. Respect has to be earned, and Donald Trump has never even tried.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - On October 18, 2025, nearly seven million Americans marched in cities across all fifty states, carrying handmade signs that read “No Kings,” “We the People,” and “You Work for Us.” It was one of the largest peaceful protests in U.S. history. Teachers, nurses, veterans, and families filled the streets to remind a man who thinks he is untouchable that America does not do royalty.

For one day, the country looked united in something that was not rage or fear but a shared belief that the Constitution still matters. It should have been a powerful moment and a wake-up call for any leader with a trace of humility.

Trump’s response? He mocked them.

Within hours, his social media team posted a slick video of him flying over the crowds wearing a gold crown and dropping piles of what looked like, well, let’s just say it was not confetti. The caption read, “King Trump watches over his people.” That level of childishness might get laughs at a middle school talent show, but from a sitting president it was disgusting.

This is the same man who insists we should “respect” him. Respect what, exactly? The arrogance? The cruelty? The constant need to humiliate anyone who dares to disagree? You do not get respect for ridiculing millions of peaceful protesters who exercised their constitutional right to speak out. You get laughed at and called out for what you are.

The King Complex

Trump does not want respect. He wants obedience. Always has. He demands it from his staff, his party, and now the entire nation.

Early in his second term, reports surfaced that federal job applicants were being asked to describe their “MAGA awakening.” That is not a job interview question. That is a cult initiation. Skilled civil servants are being replaced by unqualified loyalists who know how to flatter him but not how to do the job. When you replace competence with devotion, you are not running a government anymore. You are running a fan club with executive power.

The Protest That Popped His Balloon

The “No Kings” rally was not some fringe gathering of elites. It was a massive rejection of Trump’s growing authoritarianism. The people who showed up were not radicals or extremists. They were everyday Americans who still believe presidents are public servants, not rulers.

And that scares him.

He can handle criticism from the press. He just calls them “fake” and moves on. But seven million ordinary citizens standing up together is something he cannot ignore. The video he posted was not just immature, it was defensive. It was the tantrum of a man who cannot stand to see that he is not adored by everyone.

When Respect Becomes a Joke

Trump’s followers love to say we should “respect the office.” Sorry, but respect is not automatic. It is earned. You do not get it for winning an election. You get it by leading with integrity and serving the people who put you there. And you certainly do not get it by posting videos of yourself wearing a crown and dumping sludge on protesters.

Real leaders listen to the people who protest them. Trump mocks them. Real leaders unite their citizens. Trump divides and then calls it patriotism.

Respect is about character, not control. If Trump’s crown-and-droppings video proved anything, it is that character is still missing from this White House.

The Power Trip Continues

Since his reelection, Trump has treated public service as his personal playground. Job applicants are screened for loyalty, not skill. Civil servants who question him are replaced. Whistleblowers are punished. Even his closest advisers whisper about walking on eggshells because they know one wrong word could get them fired.

He pardoned dozens of people convicted in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. That was not mercy. It was a message to his followers that if they commit crimes for him, he will protect them. It was a reward for obedience, not justice.

He signed executive orders targeting immigrants and stripping citizenship rights, pretending it was about “protecting Americans.” What it really protected was his ego. When you build policy around fear and loyalty instead of fairness, you are not protecting a nation. You are feeding a dictator’s appetite.

No Integrity, No Respect

Respecting Trump because he won again makes as much sense as respecting a con artist because he pulled off another scam. Power does not erase corruption. His only consistent quality is inconsistency. He lies one day, contradicts himself the next, and blames everyone else for the fallout.

A man who mocks judges, insults women, demeans veterans, attacks the press, and undermines democracy does not deserve respect. You cannot tear down every institution that holds you accountable and then demand to be honored for it.

The Bottom Line

Seven million Americans marched to remind the president that this country does not belong to kings. In return, he reminded them why they had to march in the first place.

Trump does not want respect. He wants obedience. He does not serve the people. He expects the people to serve him. And when they refuse, he throws a fit and mocks them online like a bored teenager.

Respect is earned through humility, honesty, and service. Trump has none of those qualities. What he does have is a gold crown, a fragile ego, and a desperate need for worship.

So no, I do not respect Donald Trump. I never will. And the next time he posts another video from his imaginary throne, I hope every one of those seven million Americans looks up, laughs, and keeps marching.