Stephen King apologized Friday for claiming that conservative activist Charlie Kirk “advocated stoned gays.” King made the first claim in a deleted social media post since it was written after Kirk was shot dead on September 10th at an event held at Utah Valley University.
“I apologize for Charlie Kirk’s advocate for gaying stones. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-picking the passages of the Bible,” the 77-year-old author wrote on social media platform X.
King’s initial claims referenced the comments Kirk made on his podcast in 2024. Kirk criticized child YouTube star Rachel for citing the God’s wish in the Leviticus that Christians “love your neighbor.” Kirk replied, “By the way, Rachel, you may want to split your Bible. In the same part of the Bible, Leviticus 18, “I shall lie with others.” I’m just saying it. ”
King’s first post received widespread backlash among conservatives, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. King told Cruz’s comment, “A scary, evil, twisted liar apologises. This is what I get to read something on Twitter.
King is the prolific presence of X, who was President Trump’s aggressive and vocal critic. Kirk has emerged as one of the most important figures in the conservative movement in recent years, co-founding the nonprofit Turning Point USA and advocating for mobilizing youth votes for GOP candidates before becoming Trump’s ally.
The author’s apology comes after President Trump appeared on Fox News Friday morning to announce that the suspect in Kirk’s shooting has been put in police custody. At a subsequent press conference, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox identified the suspect as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, from Utah. The governor told a family friend that Robinson had shown him to a shooting, which led to his arrest.
