Fox News host Jessica Tarlov sparked a major conversation during The Five on Friday after she sharply criticized Donald Trump, saying the former president “wishes he was a king.” Her comments came just as the nationwide “No Kings” protests began across more than 2,500 cities in the United States.
During the segment, Tarlov laid out a list of constitutional and ethical concerns that she said have motivated the protests, which organizers describe as one of the largest coordinated demonstrations in modern U.S. history.
“Donald Trump says, ‘I’m not a king,’ and yeah, we get it you’re not a king,” Tarlov said. “But you wish you were one, and you’ve been running your administration as if you should have those powers.”
Tarlov referenced Trump’s past remarks on Meet the Press, accusing him of showing “a lack of respect for the Constitution.” She noted that Trump once said he wasn’t sure whether a president was obligated to uphold the Constitution.
She then highlighted several of the protesters’ grievances, including executive overreach, immigration policies, and restrictions on free speech.
“Starting with the basics signing an executive order to eliminate birthright citizenship, which is literally written in the Constitution,” she said. “Sending troops into blue cities, unilaterally imposing tariffs, and now detaining Americans without access to a lawyer.”
Citing a ProPublica report, Tarlov said more than 170 Americans were detained by ICE, with at least 20 held for more than a day without being able to contact a lawyer or loved ones.
She also pointed to concerns about the First Amendment, congressional authority, and alleged conflicts of interest within Trump’s orbit.
“Cracking down on free speech, targeting students and law firms, redirecting funds Congress has already allocated, and firing inspectors general who investigate your allies these are the reasons people are out in the streets,” Tarlov explained.
The Fox panel Greg Gutfeld, Dana Perino, Jesse Watters, and Harold Ford Jr. fell silent following her remarks, a moment that quickly spread across social media. Clips from the broadcast have since racked up over 700,000 views within hours.
Tarlov closed by connecting her comments to the message behind the protest movement:
“All of that is what No King’s Day stands for Americans demanding that no one, not even a president, stands above the law.”
The #NoKingsProtest hashtag has since trended across X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, with participants calling for the protection of democratic institutions and constitutional rights.
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