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Stephen King apologizes for politically charged tweet about Charlie Kirk after his death, amid backlash

Stephen King issues apology and deletes his politically charged tweet about Charlie Kirk following backlash on social media.
posted by Anisa Nandy
Friday 9/12/2025 at 2:02PM EDT
  • DUNDALK, MD - NOVEMBER 11: Stephen King promotes "Under The Dome" at the North Point Boulevard Walmart on November 11, 2009 in Dundalk, Maryland. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)
    DUNDALK, MD - NOVEMBER 11: Stephen King promotes "Under The Dome" at the North Point Boulevard Walmart on November 11, 2009 in Dundalk, Maryland. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

    Bestselling author Stephen King apologized for his post on social media about the fatal shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, which sparked widespread criticism. Kirk, who was 31, was shot at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He founded Turning Point USA, as well as being a frequent speaker on college campuses and supporter of President Donald Trump. 

    After the death of Charlie Kirk, Stephen King's post on X faced backlash from people. He wrote on X:

    "He advocated stoning gays to death. Just sayin'."

    Stephen King apologizes and deletes post after online backlash

    After getting backlash online, Stephen King apologized and took down his post. On his X page, the famous writer said he was sorry, and he removed what he had first put up. This came as many responses from fans and others filled up social sites. The response comes amid a flood of reactions from fans and social media users. He wrote:

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

    What do the netizens say?

    The moment the news hit, X was full of reactions from users, lighting up a wave of online discussion. Users quickly shared their thoughts and opinions, turning the post into a trending topic across the platform.

    Here are some fans' reactions:

    "They should still sue him for millions, even after his public apology. You're not allowed to incite great violence and then say 'sorry' and walk away scott-free," a user commented.

    "You're too famous to be this damn flounce. This man died on TV, you could have taken the time to verify his words before attacking them but you was so ready to hate that you couldn't wait. You are everything wrong with America. Also, I grew up loving your work as a child, now that I am a man I realize that you are far more horrific than anything you've ever written," another user commented.

    "He said he was wrong and he apologized… Maybe he learned his lesson…," a netizen commented.

    "Forming an opinion of someone based only on what the people in your own bubble say is a bad idea. Hope you realized that," another netizen commented.

    "Do the right thing and reach out to the family and offer your condolences," a user expressed.

    "I'd recommend thinking about your tweets before sending them in the future, Stephen," a user wrote.

    Keep reading PRIMETIMER for more informative content!

    TOPICS: Stephen King, Charlie Kirk's death


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