(In US) Bestselling Horror Author Stephen King Apologizes for False Claim in Tweet About Assassinated Charlie Kirk

Bestselling horror author Stephen King has issued multiple apologies after posting a now-deleted tweet falsely claiming conservative activist Charlie Kirk "advocated stoning gays to death," shortly after Kirk's assassination on September 11, 2025, at Utah Valley University. 

The 77-year-old writer, responding to a Fox News host's post praising Kirk as non-polarizing, admitted he misread a 2024 podcast clip where Kirk critiqued Bible cherry-picking, not endorsed violence. 

 King deleted the tweet and wrote on X: "I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages." 

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 He added, "I was wrong, and I apologize. I have deleted the post." 

The post drew swift backlash, including from Sen. Ted Cruz, who called King a "horrible, evil, twisted liar." 

 King replied: "The horrible, evil, twisted liar apologizes. This is what I get for reading something on Twitter without fact-checking. Won’t happen again." 

The controversy has fueled debates on responsible online commentary, free speech, and accountability, especially amid scrutiny of media figures' responses to Kirk's death by 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson.

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