Transcript of The Protest That Couldn't Explain Itself New

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Hello, I'm Tim Rice, and welcome to another edition of Behind the Story. On October 18th, 2025, nearly 8 million people gathered across the country for a day of protests. Their cause? Not ending world hunger or finding world peace, but opposing a democratically elected leader they nevertheless claim was a tyrant. No one thought Donald Trump would resign because of a protest. But in the weeks leading up to that October Saturday, the No Kings rally built a surprising amount of hype. Democratic lawmakers were encouraging people to go, and some pledged to join. So did Pedro Pascal. On the left, there was hope that No Kings could do what the Women's March had failed to do and somehow turn the political tide. On the right, the fact that the rally came just over a month after the assassination of Charlie Kirk led to fears that the rallies would turn violent. None of the 2,700 rally locations was as closely watched that day as our nation's capital. 200,000 protesters descended on Washington, D.C., where Bernie Sanders and Bill Nye spoke from the National Mall. The scene was set, and then nothing happened. People marched, they waved signs. Trump posted an AI video of himself in a crown on social media to mock them.

And on Monday, even Americans who softly supported the march started asking themselves, what was the point? And really, how could a president who very famously lost an election and vacated office for 4 years be a king? Daily Wire reporter Brecca Stahl went to DC's No Kings rally and actually asked marchers that question, and she's here with us today. The headline was, we asked No Kings protesters what made Trump a king. They couldn't say. Let's go behind the story. Brecca, thank you so much for joining me.

Thank you, Tim. Happy to be here.

So, you know, I tried to set the scene a little bit there, um, but why don't you just start by walking us through, um, you know, what, what went into that? What was the planning process, um, and what was it like on the ground at the No Kings rally?

Well, that one was the second No Kings rally. Now we've had three. The first one was in, uh, June of 2025. The next was in October, and then we had our latest one in March of 2026. And really the goal was, is we saw and we heard of how many people were going to come flood the streets, and we wanted to know why they were giving up their Saturday, you know, many people's like only off day, to go and protest for a whole day. And so it was really surprising when we got there because I was expecting to have some sort of back and forth with people, really get to the core of the issues.. And when you kind of poke below the surface of why they're there, they can't answer why. It doesn't really go beyond anger for President Trump and really just an anger overall.

Yeah. So I want to get into that because this was, I'm sure many of our listeners saw, or you had a, you had a video that they put together the best answers, um, from people who you talked to. I think it got something like 4 million views on Twitter. It was shared everywhere. Uh, and the reason is because the answers were just so comically perfect. So tell us a little bit, what questions did you ask and what were the responses?

You know, we asked literally, why is Trump a king? And it's so funny that the video went so viral just because I wasn't even expecting it to go that viral because we just asked people why they were there and they didn't know. And something about these videos, and it happens at every No Kings protest I attend, but they can't answer the question. And we're not cherry picking these answers. Like, we just go up to a protester, ask them why. They're there asking their thoughts and nothing else happens. And then you just compile the answers and the internet loves it because they, they're like, why, why are they there? No one can answer it.

In your piece, you write, responses ranged from blank stares to Kamala Harris-style word salads and vague references to checks and balances. Deep in a hole, a self-identified he/she claimed that Trump was taking away women's right to vote. When pressed for information, he/she said, quote, Trump has said that in interviews everywhere. Editor's note, he hasn't. It's like these people, I mean, that's gold. That's fantastic. I mean, how do you, what was it like being around people who were so angry but yet had so little like solid reasoning for their anger?

It was so surprising because I think man on the streets and they get some pushback because sometimes I'll see people doing a man on the street interview and I'm like, okay, they caught someone off guard, like legitimately on the streets. And but what I love about No Kings is we are not catching these people off guard because they show up with a reason to be there. And, you know, I'm always surprised when they can't answer it because it is a lot of blank stares. But I talked to one girl and she was in a group of 4 and she was the third girl I was going to ask the question to. So she had time to think about her answer. And the question is very basic. It's What brought you out here today? And she, similar to the transgender person who told me Trump's taking away women's rights to vote, she tells me, uh, Trump is taking away Black people's rights. And so the natural follow-up to him is obviously, well, what rights? And that's where things always get uncomfortable. The protesters, they immediately start to feel like they're kind of like on the attack, but it's such a fair question.

Did she have an answer to that?

It was one of the worst answers I've ever heard, and it made the whole situation so awkward. And I'm biting my cheek the whole time because I'm like trying not to laugh and cause any more attention, but she goes, 30-second pause, and then she says, "I have teachers as friends," and that's a direct quote. And she goes, "You know, it's hard for them to teach their kids in their classroom," and that answer does not relate to my question at all. And it's just a panic, and it's just a panic of, I have no real reason to be out here. And I think what it is is just that a lot of these people have real issues and real problems. I'm going to kind of generalize here, but it is unaffordable. A lot of these people, like these young women I'm talking to, I'm assuming they have some college debt. They went to get a degree that turns out there isn't really any need for in the actual market. And so that rage comes out of these No Kean protests and they're putting all that anger on President Trump. And so I think that's why they come out there.

But I don't think they know that. And that's why then when you actually ask and dig into it a little bit, their argument falls apart. And then they feel so attacked because then they're thinking, well, my anger— this girl's questioning whether I have the right to be angry and whether that can be justified. And then I think that's why they get so mad.

Do they get— did the protest— did any protester get angry with you? Because as you said, there's so much anger simmering, so much resentment. And then you show up not only identifying yourself as a reporter from an outlet that they— if they've heard of it, they don't like. But then you're also just, I would imagine, being very, you know, happy and bubbly, asking them these questions. Pushing them when they don't know the answer. So it's not just that it's adversarial, but it's such an interesting mix of like their fury and you just being happy-go-lucky. Like, what's that like? Like, did people get in your face? Like, what— what— tell us, tell us a little. That's the kind, you know, give us some, some behind-the-scenes color that didn't necessarily make it into the highlight reel.

Yeah, well, so funny enough, that same woman, after, you know, we turned into our next friend in line in the Friends of Four, and we end the interview after that I start going around doing more interviews, and then she comes up to me after and basically says, uh, Brecca, I know what you're doing, because I gave her, you know, my Instagram handle, my social, so she can then see I'm connected to The Daily Wire. And I, um, I'm just like, tell me what I'm doing. And she's like, you're from a right-wing outlet and you are trying to, you know, cause trouble here. And I said, I'm from The Daily Wire, you know, I am here to ask questions, and what I asked you was perfectly fair. It's— there is no gotcha there. I literally asked her a question based on what she said. I've had people accuse me of being, you know, Fox News, and they're like, don't talk to her, she's with Fox. And what always annoys me about this is just, I'm not, I'm not causing problems. I think there's some right-wing influencers who stir up trouble, they try and create a fight, but I ask open-ended questions.

And if you look back on all of our Daily Wire interviews, They're very fair. They're very open. And these people, I think, just get a little bit angry that then they can't argue why they're out there. And then they sometimes they don't want to speak, which always makes me so intrigued because I'm like, you brought a bullhorn, you want to speak.

So as you sort of alluded to, you've done a lot of these now. I want to talk about more of them in a minute. But if I'm not mistaken, this was the first time you had done a man on the street interview, right?

Yes.

So what were you feeling like that day? Like, what was— at this point, I think, you know, we could— you're clearly, you're a seasoned veteran now, but what was it like? I mean, that's kind of a, you know, that's a— it's a— the videos are, you know, seem funny and glib, but that's a kind of scary thing to do, right? Going out to a public place, talking to people you don't know who definitely don't like you, and kind of poking the bear. Walk us through your headspace as you were getting ready that morning to go to the National Mall.

I was excited because I just— like, I have just been kind of mystified by what makes these people come out and do these types of things. So I was ready just to be able to ask them myself. I didn't think anybody else was really doing it. And so I was really excited to just find out because I wanted to watch it and hear from them. And, you know, I think it's kind of like sales almost. I've always kind of liked sales, but you just go up to people and you just can't fear rejection. You know, some people are going to say no to your man on the street. And then some people, you know, you could be like, hey, can I ask you a couple of questions about why you're out there? And they don't even respond to you. You know, they just like look away. They don't even talk to you. But just you get the rejection. Just shouldn't bother you. And luckily it doesn't. I like getting to the answers.

No Kings sort of blew up and we realized that there was something going, you know, there was a lot, a lot of ground to be covered with men on the street interviews. Right. I mean, these things have been around for a long time, but whether it's, I don't know, people want to talk to you or you just, you know, how to spot the really good people in a crowd. But yours clearly work on a different level. You really sort of became synonymous with the man on the street interviews after Minneapolis, which was a whole experience. So I would love for you to walk us through just sort of, you know, beginning to end what was happening. How did you get there? And then, you know, what were those interviews like?

Minneapolis was just the most— one of the most crazy experiences of my life. Because it just— you just saw just kind of the root of the problem there where, you know, we talked to this one woman.

Well, hold on, back up. So this is just to remind our audience, this is— this was after, um, the one of the— I can't remember if it was the— was it the first or the second? First. The first. It was Renee Goode, right? So Renee Goode, the woman who tried to run an ICE agent over with her car, was shot and killed, um, and protests started happening. So before we even get to Minneapolis, right, This was— we were in the office. Remind me, remind our— tell our audience, you know, what that day was like, how, you know, no Kings. We had a lot of planning in the lead-up to sending you out there. Minneapolis, not so much.

Yeah. So it was like 3 a.m. or 3 p.m. and I come into Tim's office. I just got a call from our editor-in-chief, Brent Sherb, and I come into Tim's office and I'm like, I think I'm going to Minneapolis because Brent, basically calls me, asks me if I want to go. And then I won't lie, I actually thought, because I hadn't seen the video yet and what was going on because I was writing a story, I thought I was going out there to do fraud work because of all the, you know, the Lehring Center and all the Minneapolis stuff going on in fraud. So I immediately, I tell, it's Brit and I have a 1-minute conversation. He's like, do you want to go to Minneapolis? And he's like, what are you doing tonight? And I just was like, where am I going? He says Minneapolis. And I say yes. And I think he was surprised my answer was so quick. It honestly would have been quick either way. But then we hang up the phone and I just kind of look, go back, you know, on the internet, figure out what's going on. I'm like, oh my gosh, we are going because there are massive protests going to be all over the city.

We think there's going to be rioting. And I come in and Tim's office and like, I think I'm going to Minneapolis. My flight left in like 3 hours. So I went home, packed a suitcase as quick as I could. I packed for 2 days. Thinking that was enough. I was originally only supposed to be out there for 24 hours, ended up being 5 days. Had to reuse a lot of clothes. Not ideal, but it was a crazy time. But that's just how quick news happens. And really surprisingly, how I was amazed at how quick they were able to get protesters out there. The shooting happened on a Wednesday, and by Wednesday night, you know, I'm at the scene of the shooting. And so are the first couple protesters. And a few of them had told me they had just flown in, kind of similar to me. Other ones were native to Minneapolis, but they told me that more were on the way.

I will never forget you texting me that first night that you were there and saying, there's only like 3 protesters here. I feel like maybe this is a bust. You know, maybe we, maybe we jumped the gun. Uh, and so then the next day we were, I was immediately proven wrong. So talk to us about what happened when the protesters really turned out because they did wind up turning out in droves.

Yes. And so immediately Thursday morning, 7:00 AM, they all come swarming out there. All of a sudden we have these massive crowds and I'm like, all right, let's go. Like, this is what we were hearing, what we were talking about. And that's when I realized they kind of work in shifts. And so those ones that came out were the ones who were before work. And so you eventually over the week, you kind of get desensitized to it because you're like, wait, okay, it's a Thursday at 2:00. I know why I'm out on the street, but why are these other, you know, thousands of people? Like, don't you have jobs? And so first shift in the morning, do it before work, and then, you know, the next shift kind of comes out around noon, whatever. And so these protesters, they kind of keep the momentum going by just sending out groups of different people. And then of course sometimes you start seeing some of them over multiple days and some of them doing multiple shifts.

What were some of the craziest things that you heard? So I mean, obviously, look, you know, um, Regardless of how— what you think about what happened in Minneapolis with, with Breonna Good, this is obviously, you know, someone died, someone was, you know, people were attacked, people were attacking ICE agents, this woman died. This is obviously a much more serious case than just going to the, to the liberal rally and laughing at them. So how did you, how did you tailor— did you tailor your approach differently at all? And what sort of responses did you get?

So there I did in some environments just because it was more hostile than No Kings. No Kings is known for inflatables. The Minneapolis protests, it— I don't know, I swear it had a more sinister feel to it. And so you're just a little bit more careful. Very— you stick to very open-ended questions. You're not trying to— you just— you don't want anyone to be angry with you because we saw, I think, the Turning Point reporter, she actually got into a scuffle with some people and then she ended up being injured from it. So you're always aware of that. But the most surprising things in Minneapolis I heard— oh, one, I'll start with the serious one, then we'll end on the funny one. But the serious one is really, I realized it's not just people upset with ICE agents, but this group of people, these protesters on the left, are actually angry, majority of them, at all law enforcement. And remember, this is the home of the defund the police movement. It's the home of George Floyd. And when you just think about You know, I think about the police officers who were there kind of helping make sure none of the protests went south.

And it's like, well, they are there to protect, you know, protesters and people out there, helping them even protect their right to protest. And just this blatant disrespect. I had one guy tell me, I think being a police officer is less dangerous than being a pizza delivery guy, which is just absurd. And it's just the lack of respect for people who put their lives on the line every single day. Tim, you and I see it in DC with the lack of respect for the National Guard, which I think ends up translating to then some crazy person feeling that they can take their, their lives. And so it just was like, this is the fabric of our society. We have laws and we have people who enforce our laws, so we can't just attack these people. And then the funniest thing I heard, and honestly kind of funny, kind of sad, was this one woman, you know, we're at Renee Goode, the woman who was shot by the ICE agents memorial, and she tells me, you know, I'm not really sure, I almost didn't come today because I felt like I shouldn't be here. And I almost, thank God I bit my tongue, because I'm inferring, oh, it's because it's kind of morbid.

You know, this woman died here. She's thinking, you know, is this appropriate? I'm thinking that's kind of her reservations to coming, and then she tells me that it's because she's a white woman and white women's tears aren't helpful in times like these. And so here we are, a woman at the memorial of another white woman, I might add, thinks she can't be here. And I just— we live in a society where everyone is equal, and she right there has had it shoved down her throat that she is not equal. As a white man.

You mentioned that it felt sinister on the ground in Minneapolis and some of the, you know, you've done a mix since, right? You've done some funny Men on the Streets, you've done some more serious Men on the Streets. You were in New York after we bombed Iran, but you also did, and we can talk about this one later, you've done a couple on George Washington University's campus that have been funny 'cause, you know, college students are not that much of a threat. But you know, you met— anyway, you mentioned that it felt sinister. Have you ever felt unsafe? Have you ever been scared doing these things?

No, I honestly, I feel more scared for when I do these. I'm, I'm more scared for like the president and the people who are actually really doing things. I had some protesters talk to me basically about how they fantasized about Trump dying. And that's who I feel scared for in the society, not necessarily like me on the street, but like seeing the collective movement and this collective rage. Against people. And, you know, like Charlie Kirk, you know, people who are in the spotlight really voicing their opinions. Like, I'm just asking questions, but there are people giving opinions that other people really don't like, and that's who I fear the most for.

Sure, but you're affiliated with these people, and as you even said, you've— because a lot of these protesters are sort of, you know, quote-unquote professional protesters, and they come to multiple things, and people recognize you, they point you out. I mean, that's got to be that's got to be a little disconcerting, if nothing else, right? Being recognized by people whom you don't recognize.

Yeah. I mean, we had— I texted you and Brent this when I was in New York and then at Mamdani, we were at a protest after Iran and this guy was like, oh, you interviewed me when Mamdani was running. And you know that because if you have like an interesting conversation with someone, someone didn't like it or whatever. Yeah, I think I think I need to be careful, but honestly, I just really like doing these interviews. I think it really gives a lot of clarity for people that I want to do the interviews more than, you know, necessarily being— like, you are, you're always careful, but I would rather be cautious and get the job done.

Oh, and it's interesting too, because it's like that, even that, right? It's, this is sort of, as you said, you know, people kind of quibble about the, the relative utility of Men on the Street or the, or the legitimacy of it, um, which we can go back to in a second, but It's sort of like this is the kind of thing that just by doing this, right, by making this your beat, that's a new piece of information that you've learned, right? There's always reports of protesters sort of being paid to go around the country, right? We've reported on the fact that a lot of these quote unquote organic protests are, you know, or grassroots protests are actually funded by George Soros and other groups like that. So, you know, as you said earlier, right, I know why I'm here. Why are you here?

Right.

It makes sense that a reporter covering protests would go to all the different protests. It's a little bit more suspect that certain people are protesting, you know, a war in Iran in New York and an ICE altercation in Minneapolis and something in Washington. It's like, you can't possibly care about all of those things and all of those places. And how do you have the time?

No, I agree. And like, same thing with the No Kins protest in Washington, D.C., I was videoing something for someone that because I was up, you know, getting a good angle of something. And he mentioned he asked me to get a video of the parade kind of because he wanted the balloon he brought in it. And then he, you know, mentioned the balloon was from Seattle and, you know, No Kins, their name, their slogan is 50 protests, 50 states, one movement. And so it's like, well, if there's 50 protests, why did that guy feel the need to bring his balloon to Washington, D.C.? Why didn't he just go to the one closer to him in Seattle? And so that, I mean, it really begs a lot of questions. And, you know, I'm desperately trying to track down these answers.

How's it been being on the other side of the camera? Not just here, but you've done a lot of— you get invited on a lot of, you know, TV shows and podcasts to talk about your videos. Is it strange going from being the one asking the question to being asked questions?

Yes. And I had to constantly remind myself because sometimes you're just in a story for so long that you kind of forget that other people haven't necessarily been following it or you forget what they don't know. And so you kind of have to constantly remind yourself, okay, I have to set the stage here, kind of like you've been helping me do in this interview where, okay, yes, Minneapolis, I, you know, Renee Good is synonymous with Minneapolis to me, but for most people it's not. And so you just kind of have to remember, okay, What do people know? And I always kind of— my sister's 2 years younger than me. And so what I've been trying to do is before I go on something, just be like, what would my sister want to know? Someone who like doesn't really follow the news but finds it interesting. What does she need to know from this story? What is most important? So that's kind of how we go about it.

Well, we look forward to watching you explore them and being along for the ride. Breck Stahl is A news reporter at The Daily Wire, she is the queen of man on the streets. Brecca, thank you for taking us behind the story.

Thank you, Tim. Love being here.