As an Army veteran with two combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, I’ve seen the cost of freedom up close—sweat, blood, and lives laid down for the red, white, and blue. On June 14, 2025, as we celebrate Flag Day, the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, and President Donald Trump’s birthday, I stand proud to have served a nation where dissent is our right. The “No Kings” protests sweeping the country, from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., are proof of that freedom. Locally, today in Cocoa City at the intersection of route 1 and route 520 from 11-to 1pm protestor gathered to express their viewpoints. But as I watch and photographed these marches, I’m appalled by their baseless claim that Trump, a president elected by the people, is some kind of monarch. Peaceful protest is sacred, but the “No Kings” narrative is a flimsy house of cards, and I’m here to knock it down. No matter how unpopular a president or how loud the protest, our freedoms endure, and our flag flies above it all.
Let’s start with the cornerstone of our republic: the right to protest. I’ve fought for it, and I’ll defend it until my last breath. The First Amendment is why the “No Kings” protesters can march, hold signs, and shout “No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings” without fear of a dictator’s boot. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, a straight-talking lawman, nailed it at a June 12 press conference: “Peaceful protests are part of our democracy — we invite people to share their opinions. That’s what our country is all about. The key word in that is ‘peaceful.’” I couldn’t agree more. When I spoke to protesters in Cocoa, their passion was clear, even if their logic wasn’t. I asked one, “Why call Trump a king? Aren’t kings divinely appointed? Does that mean you think God chose him?” They froze, no answer. Another protester rambled about Trump’s indictments, convictions, and impeachments, asking why he’s not in jail. I pointed out that legal battles don’t erase an election—voters, not courts, decide who leads. They had no response, just more slogans. I had one too–“The Teflon Don!”
But when protests turn violent, they betray the very freedom they claim to champion. Sheriff Ivey didn’t mince words about what happens if peaceful demonstrators start throwing rocks or Molotov cocktails: “If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains because we will kill you, graveyard dead.” Harsh? Maybe. Necessary? Absolutely. In Los Angeles, where rioters have hurled projectiles and firebombs at police, the line between protest and chaos has been crossed. As a veteran, I’ve seen what happens when order breaks down—innocent people suffer. Ivey’s warning is a reminder: express your views, but don’t endanger lives. Our flag doesn’t wave for lawlessness.
Now, let’s gut the “No Kings” myth. The idea that Trump is a king is not just wrong—it’s an affront to the 74 million Americans who voted for him in 2024. I served to protect their right to choose, not to have their votes dismissed as worship of a tyrant. Trump isn’t divinely anointed; he’s a man who campaigned, debated, and won through the Electoral College, just as the Constitution prescribes. When I asked protesters what makes him a king, they pointed to his immigration policies—ICE raids, deportations, National Guard deployments. I get the anger, but enforcing laws passed by Congress isn’t monarchy; it’s democracy. The Constitution’s checks and balances—Congress, the judiciary, the 22nd Amendment—make a king impossible. Congress can impeach, courts can overrule, and no president can serve more than eight years. Trump’s been impeached twice, indicted, even convicted, yet he’s still here because the system worked: voters had their say. To call him a king is to ignore the Constitution I swore to defend.
The protesters’ fears are fueled by optics, not facts. They see tanks in D.C. for the Army’s 250th anniversary parade—coinciding with Trump’s birthday—and cry “dictator.” I see a nation honoring its military, as I did in uniform. They see ICE raids and scream “tyranny.” I see a president executing laws, as every president must. Their narrative crumbles under scrutiny. If Trump’s a king, why do protesters march freely? Why do courts still check his power? Why does the flag still fly over a republic, not a throne? No matter how much they chant, the truth stands: our Constitution is ironclad, our freedoms unshakable.
As a veteran, I’m honored to celebrate Flag Day in a country where dissent is loud and the Stars and Stripes still soar. But I’m insulted by the “No Kings” hysteria. It disrespects the voters, the Constitution, and the flag I fought for. So protest, by all means—peacefully and legally. But don’t peddle fairytales about a king who doesn’t exist. Take your grievances to the ballot box, where the people’s voice roars louder than any crown. On this Flag Day, as I salute the Army and our president, I’m reminded: no matter how fierce the debate, our republic endures, and our flag flies proud! Thank you, veterans!
