Stephen King apologizes for falsely claiming Charlie Kirk ‘advocated stoning gays to death’
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Stephen King has apologized after falsely claiming on social media that conservative activist Charlie Kirk had “advocated stoning gays to death.”
The horror author’s now-deleted post came just days after Kirk, 31, was shot dead at Utah Valley University during his “American Comeback Tour.”
The apology arrives amid ongoing political fallout from the killing and the arrest of a 22-year-old suspect.
Stephen King apologizes for false claim about Charlie Kirk
King had responded on X/Twitter to a post by Fox News host Jesse Watters, who argued that Kirk was not “controversial” or “polarizing.” In his since-deleted reply, King wrote: “He advocated stoning gays to death. Just sayin’.”
I was wrong, and I apologize. I have deleted the post. https://t.co/v6NOIUGEvS
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 12, 2025
After social media users posted evidence of Kirk speaking in support of LGBTQ rights, King deleted the original tweet and posted, “I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages.”
Senator Ted Cruz then weighed in, calling King a “horrible, evil, twisted liar.” King replied, “The horrible, evil, twisted liar apologizes. This is what I get for reading something on Twitter w/o fact-checking. Won’t happen again.”
You are a horrible, evil, twisted liar.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 12, 2025
No, he did not.
Your party—which you shamelessly shilled for—sent $100 billion to the Ayatollah… who does routinely murder homosexuals.
Why are you so dishonest & filled with hate? https://t.co/slxhbWBbQ0
The 77-year-old novelist added in separate posts, “I have apologized,” “Charlie Kirk never advocated stoning gays to death,” and “I was wrong, and I apologize. I have deleted the post.”
Accused shooter arrested in Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting
Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck on Wednesday during a campus stop of his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University. The 31-year-old had dedicated most of his career to promoting conservative beliefs and engaging young audiences on college campuses.
Authorities announced that 22-year-old Tyler Robinson from Utah was apprehended Thursday evening after more than a day of searching. “We got him,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said at the start of a Friday press conference.
According to investigators, accused killer Robinson told family members in the months before the shooting that Kirk was “full of hate.” Officials said Robinson “confessed” or at least implied he had fatally shot Kirk to a family member before he was captured.
