Fox News host Jesse Watters found himself in an awkward position on Monday, October 20, 2025, when he admitted on air that his mother attended one of the massive anti-Trump protests that swept across the nation over the weekend. The confession came during a discussion on The Five about the No Kings rallies, which drew millions of demonstrators to protest what they characterized as President Donald Trump’s authoritarian tendencies.
The 47-year-old conservative commentator revealed that his mother, Anne Purvis, a child psychologist and staunch Democrat, participated in the Saturday, October 18, 2025 demonstrations on Long Island. “I know my mom was there,” Watters stated during the broadcast. “Can you believe my mom was there? Sometimes I think I was adopted.”
Despite his personal connection to the protests through his mother, Watters dismissed the nationwide demonstrations as ineffective political theater. He criticized participants as trend-chasers who lacked a clear understanding of their purpose, drawing comparisons to previous progressive movements, including the Women’s March and Black Lives Matter protests. The host argued that these repeated demonstrations against Trump have ultimately harmed Democrats, who have lost significant political power in Washington.
Watters characterized the protesters as having an obsessive fixation on the president, suggesting the demonstrations provided temporary bursts of energy but had proven detrimental long-term. He contended that Democrats have lost control of the culture, media, and recent elections, claiming they have collectively lost their minds over their opposition to Trump.
The Fox News personality then made a sweeping assertion about rally attendees, claiming most had no comprehension of their reasons for participating. However, he acknowledged one exception to this characterization, stating that his mother understood her motivations for marching. Watters suggested that most protesters interviewed at such events appear confused and aimless when questioned about their presence.
Organizers estimated that approximately seven million people participated in the protests across roughly 2,700 cities nationwide. Independent analysis from American University researchers and data journalist G. Elliott Morris suggested the actual turnout ranged between 4.5 million and 6.5 million participants. If these figures prove accurate, the demonstrations could rival the 2017 Women’s March as one of the largest single-day protests in American history.
Preliminary data collected by researchers at American University indicated that nearly 90 percent of No Kings participants identified with the political left. The typical attendee was characterized as an educated white woman in her 40s. Demonstrators displayed creative signage referencing current controversies, including placards reading “For the Epsteinth time… No Kings” and “He’s more burger than king.”
The protests drew numerous high-profile participants, including actors Pedro Pascal, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Cusack, Ben Stiller, filmmaker Spike Lee, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Many demonstrators wore colorful costumes, including the inflatable animal suits that became emblematic of anti-ICE protests in Portland, Oregon. Organizers described the rallies as overwhelmingly peaceful, though scattered reports of violence and arrests emerged from cities including Portland and Chicago.
Protesters cited multiple grievances motivating their participation, including ongoing immigration enforcement raids, the State Department’s revocation of visas for six foreigners who allegedly mocked conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s assassination, and the temporary suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s ABC late-night program. Trump had suggested that networks providing negative coverage could face broadcast license revocations.
The politically divided relationship between Watters and his mother has become a recurring source of public discussion. The host previously featured a regular segment called “Mom Texts” on his program, during which he read critical messages from Purvis. In one such exchange, she advised him to avoid tumbling into conspiracy rabbit holes and to seek solutions rather than fanning flames of division.
In 2024, Watters revealed that his mother had not invited him to Thanksgiving dinner following Trump’s second election victory, citing a scheduling situation and insufficient space. When Purvis later extended an invitation for Black Friday, Watters declined, saying he would be shopping at Best Buy instead. In 2018, he told a Philadelphia publication that he managed to clear out the entire Thanksgiving table during the Obama years with his praise for Trump.
Watters concluded his commentary by asserting that Democrats actually favor governmental authority, citing vaccine mandates, government-run healthcare proposals, and what he characterized as overreach on free speech issues. He argued that Trump only appears powerful because his predecessor was weak, and that the current president is addressing problems left unresolved by the previous administration.
Social media users responded to video clips of Watters’ admission with a mixture of amusement and criticism, with some suggesting his mother must be disappointed in her son’s political positions.
