Actor John Cusack delivered a fiery message to President Donald Trump during a CNN interview Saturday at Chicago’s “No Kings” rally, telling the president to “go to hell” over the deployment of Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to his beloved hometown.
Speaking at one of over 2,600 coordinated demonstrations taking place across the United States and internationally, Cusack criticized what he characterized as Trump’s use of “masked goons” conducting immigration enforcement operations in Chicago.
The High Fidelity star’s comments have circulated widely on social media as part of a broader wave of organized opposition to the Trump administration’s policies during the third major mass mobilization since the president’s return to office.
Why It Matters
Cusack’s high-profile condemnation during the “No Kings” demonstrations reflects escalating tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic-led cities over immigration enforcement and executive authority.
The actor’s long-standing opposition to Trump—evidenced earlier this year when he urged followers to boycott the presidential inauguration, calling it a “totally meaningless” broadcast—underscores the depth of progressive opposition across the entertainment industry and activist circles.
Chicago has emerged as a focal point in the national debate, with the city’s leadership vocally opposing federal immigration crackdowns and raids.
What To Know
Saturday’s campaign was planned to “defend democratic norms and reject authoritarianism” according to “No Kings” organizers, with thousands of rallies unfolding simultaneously in cities large and small across the U.S. and internationally, including Germany, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Prague.
Cusack’s protest centers on Trump’s deployment of ICE and Border Patrol agents to Chicago for deportation operations, characterizing the approach as authoritarian governance that “divide[s] and conquer[s]” by targeting vulnerable populations.
He invoked Chicago’s historical significance as a labor rights hub, arguing the city’s progressive legacy makes it resistant to what he termed “fascist” governance.
Movement organizers have emphasized nonviolent action and conducted safety training to promote de-escalation techniques.
The protests come amid a federal government shutdown now in its 18th day, broader immigration enforcement operations, and the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago and Los Angeles.
What People Are Saying
John Cusack told CNN during Saturday’s protest: “Everyone knows the score, right? The authoritarians divide and conquer and they create an ‘other’ and then they pick on it, pick on the person, harass them, jail them… We all know history. So, that’s what he’s doing, and we have masked goons roaming the streets, hiding their faces, abducting people.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker took the stage to speak, telling the crowd, in part: “We are here today to defend the principle that has defined America since its founding: The belief that tyranny in any form must be resisted by the people of conscience – especially here in Chicago. We will never surrender.”
“Throughout history, we have learned that tyranny doesn’t arrive with dramatic proclamations: Most times, it comes quietly, wrapped in the language of law and order, with fingers pointed at someone who doesn’t look like you, promising safety while demanding we sacrifice our neighbors,” he continued.
“Today we are here to say with one voice that there is a threat to our constitutional republic. This is not a political choice – this is a moral imperative,” he added. Pritzker also marched with the protesters, joining them at one point in a chant of “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go.”
Watch the interview below:
