Anti-war protests erupted across major U.S. cities on Sunday in response to President Donald Trump’s recent military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with demonstrators condemning the action as a violation of international law and a betrayal of Trump’s earlier campaign promises to end foreign conflicts.
Rallies took place in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Boston, Portland, Cincinnati, Austin, and Chicago. While the demonstrations remained largely peaceful, they were vocal and visibly coordinated, with attendees carrying signs such as “Trump is a War Criminal” and “No US-Israel War on Iran.”
So let me get this straight…
Two months ago, we had Ukrainian flags everywhere.
A month ago we had Palestinian flags everywhere.
A week ago we had Mexican flags everywhere.
Now we have Iranian flags everywhere.
What the hell is going on?????pic.twitter.com/owgA6YjIRu
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) June 22, 2025
In New York City’s Times Square, protesters marched through Midtown chanting “No US War Crimes,” drawing attention from tourists and counter-protesters alike. Trump supporters also appeared at the scene, waving MAGA flags and attempting to counter the narrative that the president had instigated war. One Trump supporter challenged the protesters directly, arguing that Trump had long telegraphed his intent to dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and had not launched a full-scale war.
Similar tensions played out in Chicago, where approximately 100 to 125 protesters gathered. One demonstrator, identifying himself as an Iranian refugee, voiced concern for relatives back home, stating that he hadn’t been able to reach his family since the strikes occurred.
In Washington, D.C., activists gathered outside the White House under the slogan “No War on Iran! Trump is a War Criminal!” That protest, like others nationwide, was organized by groups including the Party for Socialism and Liberation, ANSWER Coalition, and the National Iranian American Council. These organizations issued a joint statement condemning the military operation as a breach of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the U.S. Constitution.
NBC’s Andrea Mitchell platforms Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to try to condemn Trump’s two week notice, “Can diplomacy produce a solution in two weeks?” Araghchi claims that’s up to Trump “We don’t know how we can trust them anymore. What they did was in fact a trial… pic.twitter.com/KnRzdy5igw
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) June 21, 2025
Organizers likened the current moment to the 2003 Iraq invasion, accusing Trump of echoing the policies of former President George W. Bush. “He lied during the campaign when he said he was going to end the ‘forever wars’ and bring about peace,” one statement read. “Trump is no different from Bush, who lied about weapons of mass destruction.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the strikes on Sunday, calling them a “strategic success” that dealt a critical blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. According to Hegseth, the strikes were carried out with surgical precision and avoided civilian casualties.
Protest groups, however, warned of broader consequences, stating that the attacks “threaten to set into motion a regional or even global war with massive casualties, nuclear radiation, and catastrophic consequences.” The groups called for an immediate halt to all U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran and demanded that military spending be redirected toward domestic needs such as health care, education, and infrastructure.
