The Hidden Influence of Funding Behind Anti-Trump Protests

On a tense Tuesday evening, National Guard troops found themselves confronting protesters and rioters in the streets of Los Angeles. Simultaneously, Randi Weingarten, the influential president of the teachers’ union, hosted a virtual town hall featuring Democratic Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, along with two prominent political operatives: Leah Greenberg, the founding force behind the Indivisible nonprofit, and Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network.

During the event, Greenberg anticipated a surge of protests scheduled for Saturday, which aims to resonate even in traditionally Republican areas. This uprising is being framed as a collective response against President Donald Trump. Throughout the call, Weingarten’s enthusiasm was palpable, while Sharpton expressed excitement about various people uniting despite differing political beliefs. They branded this initiative the #NoKings protest.

However, amidst the fervor, the speakers failed to clarify the extensive network of Democratic organizations meticulously orchestrating and funding this supposedly spontaneous movement.

Unmasking the Political Machinery

As the editor-in-chief of the Pearl Project, a nonprofit journalism initiative created to honor my late colleague Daniel Pearl, I have dedicated the past two decades to investigating how ideology and identity politics can spiral into violence. Daniel was brutally killed by radical militants in 2002, and since then, I have warned about the dangerous coalitions forming between far-left ideologies and extremist ideologies within our own borders.

In my recent publication, Woke Army, I documented this evolving alliance and its implications for our institutions, highlighting how identity politics can serve as a weapon against civil society. The #NoKings protest epitomizes this ongoing propagandist struggle.

The Scale of Organization

Recent research from the Pearl Project revealed that the #NoKings protest is organized by approximately 198 groups, all connected to the Democratic Party. Many of these organizations enjoy the benefits of tax-exempt, nonpartisan nonprofit status. Collectively, they generate an astonishing $2.1 billion in annual revenues.

The breakdown of affiliated partners can be found in the official publicity materials that accompany the #NoKings initiative. I have made this research publicly accessible through an online database I am developing as an informative resource on the protest industry. This digital encyclopedia aims to provide clarity to citizens, from lawmakers to local community members, about the organizations instigating unrest across the nation.

A Historical Perspective on Protest Movement

Since 2017, I have been closely monitoring the anti-Trump protests. It began with the emergence of the #Resistance movement, driven by various activists like Linda Sarsour, who spearheaded the Women’s March against Trump. As protests intensified following Trump’s inauguration, I delved further into the entities supporting the myriad demonstrations, including the #TeslaTakedown and #MayDay movements aimed at resisting the current administration.

Some prominent organizations involved in these protests include Jewish Voice for Peace and Sarsour’s MPower Change Action Fund. Their activism against the state of Israel, particularly following the recent attacks by Hamas on October 7, is part of a broader trend I have documented, identifying over 1,500 groups engaged in anti-Semitic protests.

These upcoming protests, masquerading as organic expressions of civic engagement, don’t originate from a grassroots movement. Instead, they represent a well-financed, coordinated campaign that reflects top-down political warfare.

Industry Insights into Protest Organization

This protest machinery is far from an amateur endeavor. For the upcoming #NoKings event, the Indivisible Digital Asset Management team has created a suite of digital resources. This includes a brand folder containing 29 distinct assets for flyers, rally signs, graphics, and various templates designed for efficient mobilization.

Furthermore, Indivisible has developed a comprehensive digital toolkit for hosts, packed with messaging strategies, mobilization tactics, and guidelines for securing media coverage. Their resources equip activists with the necessary tools to sway public opinion and escalate visibility for their agenda.

The sample protest signs include slogans like “NO KINGS IN AMERICA!” and “We are Not For Sale!” This uniformity aims to create a coherent visual identity across the nation, contributing to the viral spread of their messaging through social media campaigns centered around the #NoKings hashtag.

Examining Ideological Motivations

As media outlets scrutinize the rhetoric of white supremacy and fascism, we must also critically evaluate the ideological motivations driving these so-called progressive protests. Recently highlighted by The New York Times, Neville Roy Singham, a wealthy tech benefactor, has been linked to funding groups that promote extreme anti-American agendas. Although he currently has no known ties to the #NoKings protest, the ideological undercurrents remain strikingly similar.

The #NoKings protest represents a fertile ground for anti-ICE and anti-Trump activists to push their agendas forward. Groups like #ResistTrump aim to decouple the nation from any Trump-era governance, promoting a continuum of political dissent that ranges from voting to potential violence.

A Call for Genuine Civic Engagement

As an investigative journalist, my role extends beyond merely cataloging the anti-Trump protest industry. It is crucial to expose the underlying motives that fuel these demonstrations. They are not simply political expressions; rather, they are orchestrated performances, intended to blur the lines between legitimate civic engagement and ideological manipulation.

Lissa Kenkel, a researcher from Fairfax County, echoed the irony surrounding the #NoKings uprisings. She noted that those orchestrating these movements often enjoy the comforts of the nonprofit world, commanding six-figure salaries while inciting unrest, a stark contrast to the chaos encouraged in the name of democracy.

We must remain vigilant against the illusions of grassroots movements when the reality is driven by the high-powered elites within the political left. True protest should arise from genuine community concerns, not be fueled by a political machine attempting to stage a faux revolution. This is the reality behind the #NoKings calls to action, which mobilize support for a manufactured uprising against the political establishment.