KY Gov. Beshear talks Trump at ‘No Kings’ town hall: ‘People don’t like extremism’
As protests flare across the country against an immigration crackdown by President Donald Trump, more are expected to continue this weekend, including at least 14 “No Kings” protests planned across Kentucky.
Wednesday, during a national town hall to promote the event, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear added his voice to the list of supporters. Beshear spoke alongside other guests, including Civil Rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton, Leah Greenberg with the Indivisible Project and Randi Weingarten, a labor leader who heads the American Federation of Teachers.
“I think people don’t like extremism,” Beshear, a Democrat, said of the Trump administration’s recent actions. “What we’re seeing right now is most definitely extremism. We ought to be a nation of laws, a nation that tries to respect one another.”
More than 1,500 No Kings protests are planned nationwide Saturday, June 14, which is also Flag Day and President Trump’s 79th birthday.
On the same day, a military parade will troop through the streets of Washington, D.C., to honor the Army’s 250th anniversary. The parade, which will feature heavy military equipment, thousands of service members and aircraft flyovers, is expected to cost an estimated $45 million, including $16 million to repair expected damage to infrastructure.
Despite some limited criticism of the Trump administration during his Wednesday town hall appearance, Beshear seemed to be aiming his remarks at a broader audience of voters across the political spectrum.
It’s no secret that Beshear has political ambitions beyond Kentucky, and his name regularly comes up as a potential presidential candidate in 2028. As recently as January, Beshear remains one of the most popular governors in the country. He’s also a prominent Democrat who leads a very red state Trump won by 30 percentage points in 2024.
In the months since Democrats’ devastating loss to Trump, Beshear has positioned himself as a figure who can lead them out of the political wilderness. During his Wednesday town hall appearance, he assumed that role again.
“People aren’t as political as we think,” Beshear said.
He cited Trump’s landslide November victory in Kentucky and voters’ broad rejection of a state constitutional amendment that would have potentially allowed for spending taxpayer funds on private, religious and charter schools.
“When people wake up in the morning, they’re not thinking about their political party, and they’re not thinking about the next election. They’re thinking about their job and whether they make enough to support their family,” Beshear said.
Beshear seemed to be signaling that Democrats should focus on issues with broad appeal, such as health care access, infrastructure, education and public safety. He also stressed the importance of “saying that we are for something and not just against someone.”
In advocating for a politics of “more compassion and less judgment,” Beshear also seemed to be signaling how the party should reach out to voters they may have alienated.
Yes, Democrats should speak out against what they see as overreach by the Trump administration, Beshear said, but he made a point of saying: “Let’s also make sure we’re doing it in a way to where we can welcome people back when they see this administration has gone too far.”
Kentucky’s Republican Party responded to the governor’s appearance with a post on X, formerly Twitter, painting it as “cozying up and coordinating with the far-left group promoting the ‘Nationwide Day of Defiance.’”
Do you have a question about Kentucky politics for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.
This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 2:19 PM.