Many Marxist-Leninists in the USA have long called for a United Front (UF) of the People against the onslaught of fascism in the USA. That said, this was slow to come. Given the situation of the left in the USA currently, the UF was not ‘made’ by us. However, we must join it, now that one has arisen. Undoubtedly, the UF has made a resolute start.
Actions of the United Front to date
The general slogan of the UF, which became the name of the demonstrations themselves, is “No Kings”. The UF organised these protests because, as their website explains:
“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services.
“The flag doesn’t belong to President Trump. It belongs to us. We’re not watching history happen. We’re making it.
“On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t—to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.”
This coalition comprises numerous supporting groups. According to an article written by Ashley Ahn for the New York Times entitled “The No Kings protests were the work of hundreds of organizations” (June 14, 2025), these groups successfully led marches across the country:
“The No Kings protests sweeping the country Saturday were coordinated by more than 200 organizations, including political, environmental and labor advocacy groups, according to the demonstrators’ website.
Among the most prominent organizers were progressive groups like 50501, Indivisible, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Many of the groups involved also helped plan the “Hands Off!” protests in April, which called on the Trump administration to stop threatening Social Security, health care and education.”
The UF faced down three very recent intimidations—and yet they still organised an impressive, visible, and large resistance across the country.
These three intimidations of the progressive and anti-racist movement were:
- The ICE crackdown urged on by Trump on the immigrant workers in the USA’s second largest city, Los Angeles (LA). See here.
- The military rally in Washington, DC, organised by the ever self-glorifying Trump, which consumed some $45 million. This was supposedly to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the US Army, which just happens to coincide with Trump’s 79th birthday. It consisted of marches of troops, weaponry, and military vehicles.
- The assassinations of the Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman of the Democratic Party and her husband at their home—which State Governor Tim Walz labelled as a “politically motivated assassination”. In addition to this, Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were shot at their home—but survived. The assassin was a man who owns a security agency and was dressed as a police officer, and was driving a “police” car. In his car, a hit list was found, which, among many names, included the “No Kings” demonstrations. The Minnesota organizers were concerned about this and cancelled protest marches. Even so, a large crowd arrived outside the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota.
What do we know about the United Front?
The scale of their protests reflects that they have many origins in several progressive movements:
“The protests this past week against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown included some organizations that had more explicit support for racial justice, Palestinian freedom and socialist politics, such as local chapters of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.”
There are two main organisers of the UF—the 50501 movement and Indivisible. Both started as online movements:
“Indivisible and 50501 were both created in response to President Trump’s policies. Indivisible started as an online document that provided guidance on how to organize locally and pressure elected officials to reject Mr. Trump’s policies. The 50501 movement grew from a Reddit community that was created on Jan. 25, days after Mr. Trump’s second inauguration. (Its name is short for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement”).”
The Welcome Guide of 50501 clarifies further:
“ 50501 is a national movement made up of everyday Americans who stand up for democracy and who stand up against the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 5051 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, 1 movement.” (p. 1/8)
The other main organiser is Indivisible:
“Indivisible has since expanded its reach to over 200,000 followers on Instagram; 50501 has more than 400,000 followers on the platform.
“The larger groups have helped mobilize protests since the beginning of Mr. Trump’s second term and focused on issues like mass layoffs in the government workforce and cuts to Medicaid …
“The demonstrations on Saturday were named No Kings to refer to what organizers see as authoritarian overreach by Mr. Trump and his administration.”
The coalitions involved in the UF include but are not limited to the following:
Build the Resistance, Unheard here, Voices of Florida. More listings of partner organisations can be found here.
What is the United Front’s policy?
According to their own websites, they aim to mobilise the people of the working class against the Trump regime. They are explicitly a United Front and make it clear that they don’t have overall agreement on issues other than on Trump:
“Q: Why doesn’t 50501 have a “position” on certain topics?
“A: 50501 is a collection of people of differing, and sometimes opposing, ideals. Our people are from every background imaginable. Every political party, religion, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, age, ability, gender, and US state. We are everything from rich to poor, from rural to urban, from ex-maga to BLM. Everyone is here. We do not have “positions” on most topics because we contain a variety of positions. We chose to collaborate under our singular common goal: to end the executive overreach of the Trump Administration.
Collaboration does not mean we condone or endorse every single ideal held by the groups or individuals who cooperate with us. It simply means we work together to achieve our shared goal.” (The 50501 Movement Welcome Guide, p. 7/8)
They eschew labels like “fascism”—or at least they do not use them in their published material—and they espouse a non-violent strategy:
“A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events.” (No Kings Website)
“50501 is a peaceful movement. Violence of any kind will not be tolerated.” (50501 Events)
“We are dedicated to promoting nonviolence in all aspects of our interactions, fostering a culture of respect, understanding, and peaceful conflict resolution.
“We believe that dialogue, empathy, and cooperation are essential in creating a safe and just environment for all.
“Through our actions and commitments, we strive to reject harm and build a community rooted in compassion and mutual respect.”(50501 Values)
Nonetheless, they proclaim:
“On June 14—Flag Day—President Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn’t staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else.
“No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance. From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like.
“We’re not gathering to feed his ego. We’re building a movement that leaves him behind.” (No Kings Website)
In lieu of a full programme, they state their aims are as follows:
“We call on our government to…
- Uphold the Constitution.
- End executive overreach.” (p. 1)
They define “executive overreach” as follows:
“Q: What does ‘Executive Overreach’ mean?
“A: ‘Executive’ refers to the executive branch of our government that includes the President, Vice President, the Cabinet, and various executive departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and committees. It is one of three branches of government that must be balanced in order for our country to function. “Overreach” refers to any actions that are beyond the scope of the executive branch as laid out in our Constitution. The Trump Administration has overextended the actions of the executive branch in ways that jeopardize American’s rights, civil liberties, and access to public services that we pay for with our taxes.” (p. 6)
The word “movement” is repetitively emphasised, clarifying that it is not aiming at a single party:
“Q: What does ‘Movement’ mean?
A: 50501 is not an organization. It is not a company. It’s not a brand, club, or influencer. It is an agreed upon idea to end the executive overreach of the Trump Administration. Do not look to 50501 for leadership or permission to hold your own government accountable. The time has come for you to get involved. You are 50501. Together our voices cannot be ignored.” (p. 6)
In keeping with this, the movement’s leadership is somewhat opaque. To a degree, they fervently deny they have any leadership and affirm that they rely on “grassroots democracy”:
“The 50501 movement is a grassroots effort, meaning it’s powered by everyday people, not by politicians or political parties. Most of the work happens at the local level, where volunteers in local city or state groups organize protests, advertise events, and handle logistics. These local groups are the lifeblood of the movement and exist both online and in person.
“In addition to local-level organizing, national coordination between 50501 groups allows us to establish cohesive messaging, decide dates of action, and share resources. This coordination is decentralized, therefore, 50501 has no true leadership.
“50501 is not run by politicians or any political party. This Movement is beholden only to the everyday Americans who create, fund, and organize its actions and events. We, the American people, have banded together in the interest of a common goal; to end executive overreach and reject the authoritarian actions of the Trump Administration. We are not paid, or coerced into action. We are driven to act out of our sense of what is right: decency, democracy, and civil liberty for all people.” (p. 2)
The actions they propose are:
“Take actions encouraged by the movement:
- Call your congress-person.
- Boycott companies that support the Trump Administration.
- Go to town halls.
- Run for local office.
- Teach others about the 50501 movement.
- Join our online and in-person protests.” (p. 4)
Conclusions
While the movement’s leadership is unclear to the Editors, it is very likely to be composed at the national level of a “Democratic Party” leadership.
At this critical juncture, the overall philosophy that is needed is one of a United Front. Lenin emphasized the necessity of United Front tactics in bringing about historic social change. He also cautioned that we must remain open to compromises and occasional changes in direction in order for the working class to take eventual steps forward towards real political power with and for the working class.
The present movement is both nascent and perhaps rather naive with regard to its objections and parameters. However, it is our opinion that all Marxist-Leninists should support it, and try to be perceived as helpful in leading it. Only this can turn the movement into a realisation that the UF’s current positions are inadequate, and that a movement to the socialist revolution is the only way forward.
Hari Kumar for MLRG.online
