Stephen King recently sparked controversy with comments about Charlie Kirk following Kirk's assassination in September 2025. He quickly apologized after backlash for misrepresenting Kirk's views.

The Initial Claim

King posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Charlie Kirk "advocated stoning gays to death," referencing Kirk's 2024 podcast remarks critiquing YouTuber Ms. Rachel's Pride support by quoting Leviticus on stoning for certain acts. King deleted the post amid criticism, including from Sen. Ted Cruz, who called him a "horrible, evil, twisted liar."

King's Apology

King issued multiple apologies, stating: "I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages." He admitted not fact-checking a Twitter claim: "This is what I get for reading something on Twitter w/o fact-checking. Won’t happen again."

  • Key replies from King: "I have apologized," and "Charlie Kirk never advocated stoning gays to death."
  • He emphasized it was a misinterpretation, not malice, while facing MAGA backlash.

Context and Backlash

Kirk's original comment was: "Ms. Rachel, you might crack open one of yours... Leviticus 18... thou with another, shall stoned death. Just sayin'." King, a vocal Trump critic, reacted post-Kirk's shooting at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, by accused killer Tyler Robinson.

Forum views vary:

  • Some praised King's retraction as "integrity."
  • Others saw it as too late, linking it to his film The Long Walk underperforming.

"I commend King for addressing his comment and offering an apology; that shows integrity." – Reddit user

Broader Impact

The episode fueled debates on social media fact-checking, political rhetoric, and King's public persona as a sharp, progressive commentator. No legal issues arose, but it trended in September 2025 amid Kirk's death coverage.

TL;DR: King falsely claimed Kirk advocated stoning gays, apologized profusely after verifying, clarifying it was about Biblical cherry-picking instead.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.