BANGOR, Maine – Author Stephen King is facing mounting criticism after falsely claiming on social media that conservative activist Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gay people to death. King later admitted he was wrong, deleted the post, and issued multiple apologies.’
The horror author, now in his 70s, has faced criticism in the past over outlandish conspiracy theory claims linked to far-left ideology.
The controversy began when King shared a post alleging that Kirk supported violence against the LGBTQ community. The claim quickly spread before being flagged as false. In a series of follow-up posts, King retracted the statement, writing, “I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages.”
King reiterated that Kirk “never advocated stoning gays to death,” adding that he had failed to fact-check before posting. He described himself as “the horrible, evil, twisted liar” and said the incident would not happen again.
Republican figures including Sen. Ted Cruz and commentator Sebastian Gorka blasted King online, with Cruz calling him a “horrible, evil, twisted liar.” The novelist responded that he had already apologized and accepted responsibility.
The apology comes as King begins promoting The Long Lost, a new movie adaptation of one of his novels. The timing has fueled further criticism from detractors who accuse him of political bias and spreading misinformation.
Despite repeated clarifications, the controversy continues to circulate widely across social media.
Key Points
- Stephen King falsely claimed Charlie Kirk supported stoning gay people, later retracting the statement.
- King apologized publicly, saying he failed to fact-check before posting.
- The backlash coincides with King’s promotion of a new film adaptation, The Long Lost.
A tweet meant to wound instead turned on its author, sparking one of King’s most public missteps online.