Stephen King apologized for making critical comments and ‘false claims’ about Charlie Kirk on Friday. 

The 77-year-old author found himself under fire after commenting on X, previously known as Twitter, where he implied that a deceased right-wing activist had ‘advocated for stoning gay individuals to death’.

This remark generated significant outrage, racking up over 13 million views before it was removed, and was criticized as ‘malicious’ and a ‘terrible stance’ by many on social media. 

Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas was among the many who tweeted back in outrage: ‘You are a horrible, evil, twisted liar. No, he did not.’

In response, King deleted his initial post and apologized for ‘reading something on Twitter without fact checking’.

In response to the criticism, King tweeted an apology: ‘I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays,’ followed by clarifying: ‘What he actually showed was how some people selectively interpret Biblical passages.’

The conservative political activist was fatally shot on Wednesday during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in Orem. He was 31. 

Stephen King apologized for making critical comments and false claims about Charlie Kirk on Friday (pictured September 2024 in Toronto)

The 77-year-old author was criticized for his statement on X, formerly Twitter, suggesting that the late right-wing activist had ‘advocated stoning gays to death’.

Figures like Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, Dave Rubin, and Utah Senator Mike Lee were also quick to rush to Kirk’s defense in response to King’s tweet.

‘Stephen King is a sad, bitter man,’ wrote Ingraham.

‘Hey @StephenKing, you are more monstrous than any characters you’ve created. Charlie was nothing but kind to me and my husband,’ remarked the openly gay host of The Rubin Report.

Lee, a senator from the state where Kirk was killed, addressed his 600,000 followers: ‘Please share if you think Charlie Kirk’s estate should take legal action against Stephen King for this grossly false claim. He’s crossed a line, and it’ll be costly.’

King, an outspoken Donald Trump critic, went on to walk back his comments. He framed them as a poor attempt at referencing Kirk and others’ tendency to ‘cherry-pick Biblical passages’.

‘I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages,’ he wrote on Friday morning.

King also responded to Cruz directly.

‘The horrible, evil, twisted liar apologizes. This is what I get for reading something on Twitter w/o fact-checking. Won’t happen again,’ he wrote. 

The conservative political activist was fatally shot on Wednesday during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in Orem. He was 31 (pictured March in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin)

‘I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages,’ King tweeted in response to the backlash

Many social media users were outraged at the King of Horror’s tweet, which recorded over 13 million views before he deleted it, and called it ‘evil’ and a ‘horrific take’

In response, King deleted his initial post and admitted fault. He also apologized for ‘reading something on Twitter without fact checking’

His initial tweet came in reply to a post from Ingraham’s colleague Jesse Watters praising Kirk’s legacy.

Others offered kind words as well. 

Progressive Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was the only Democrat or public official to slam Kirk’s legacy. 

She said of Kirk during an interview with left-leaning outlet Zeteo Thursday: ‘There is nothing more f***ed up than to pretend that his words and actions haven’t been recorded and in existence for the last decade or so.’ 

She has not apologized.

Following his first post and the controversy, King also shared a post by former President Barack Obama, who said of the shooting: ‘This kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy.’ 

King concurred and commented: ‘All correct.’ 

Among his tweets from Thursday, King also likened the shooter to the murderers convicted of the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. 

He said all three killers were ‘cowards who shot from ambush’.

Figures like Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, Dave Rubin, Utah Senator Mike Lee, and Ted Cruz were quick to rush to Kirk’s defense in response to King’s tweet

Cruz slammed the author for being a ‘horrible, evil, twisted liar’

Following his first post and the controversy, King also shared a post by former President Barack Obama, who said of the shooting: ‘This kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy.’ King concurred and commented: ‘All correct’

King also likened the shooter to the murderers convicted of the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr

Kirk, the influential founder of Turning Point USA and a close ally of President Donald Trump, was talking to a crowd at Utah Valley University amid his college speaking tour when he was shot and killed by a gunman. 

According to the latest update made by President Trump, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah was taken into custody and is believed to be the gunman. 

The event was the first stop on Kirk’s American Comeback Tour, which was supposed to travel to college campuses across the U.S. through September and October. 

Kirk leaves behind his wife Erika, with whom he had a three-year-old daughter and a son, aged 16 months.