Ahead of the release of the latest blockbuster film based on his work, celebrated author Stephen King issued a public apology after making an assertion about the late conservative commentator Charlie Kirk's beliefs about homosexuality. The retraction comes amid intense backlash following Kirk's death earlier this week.
Charlie Kirk was not a “controversial” or “polarizing” man. Charlie was a PATRIOT. 🦅🇺🇸
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) September 10, 2025
THIS is a turning point and we all need to turn in the right direction.
Rest in peace, my friend. 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/WCZJubxGRB
Following the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, Fox News host Jesse Watters paid tribute to Kirk on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), writing, "Charlie Kirk was not a 'controversial' or 'polarizing' man. Charlie was a PATRIOT. 🦅🇺🇸 THIS is a turning point and we all need to turn in the right direction. Rest in peace, my friend. 🙏🏻"
To which King replied, "He advocated stoning gays to death. Just sayin'."
The comment referenced remarks Kirk made during a podcast in mid-2024, in which he cited passages from Leviticus condemning same-sex relations. In that earlier context, Kirk had criticized a children's YouTube star known as Ms. Rachel, who quoted Leviticus to argue for treating LGBTQ+ people with compassion.
@StephenKing you're fucking spineless
— That REDACTED Guy (@REDACTEDSpider) September 12, 2025
Here's the video pic.twitter.com/i9JcUUW4qa
"In Leviticus 18, is that 'thou shall lay with another man shall be stoned to death.' Just sayin'. So Ms Rachel, you quote Leviticus 19, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The chapter before affirms God's perfect law when it comes to sexual matters," Kirk stated on the podcast.
This is false and defamatory
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) September 12, 2025
It’s a statement made with reckless disregard for the truth
You should get sued for everything you’re worth over this https://t.co/dp9p1pihU1
King's initial claim prompted swift condemnation from conservative figures. Senator Mike Lee called it "false and defamatory" and threatened legal action. Others, including Senator Ted Cruz, Fox News host Laura Ingraham, and Deputy Assistant to the President Sebastian Gorka, also harshly criticized King.
I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 12, 2025
The horror author officially apologized on X, stating, "I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages."
He later responded directly to Gorka and Senator Cruz, reiterating his apology. X user @DefiantLs wrote on his page, "I'd say Stephen King should be ashamed of himself, but what's the point?" with a screenshot of King's original post and a 2019 X post from Kirk stating, "gay people should be welcome in the conservative movement."
King replied to @DefiantLs, stating, "I was wrong, and I apologize. I have deleted the post."
I was wrong, and I apologize. I have deleted the post. https://t.co/v6NOIUGEvS
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 12, 2025
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed while speaking at a speaking event at Utah Valley University earlier this week. The authorities are holding Tyler Robinson under suspicion of the killing, and the motive behind his killing remains under investigation.
His stances on LGBT issues varied over the years. In 2019, he praised Botswana for repealing a colonial-era law criminalizing homosexuality and complemented President Trump for his "global push to decriminalize homosexuality," and that "gay people should be welcome in the conservative movement."
However, he later became more critical of the LGBTQ+ community, stating that he believes that "marriage is one man one woman," and that gay people "are not happy just having marriage. Instead, they now want to corrupt your children." He also said being gay was an "error" and compared the Gay Pride movement to encouraging drug addicts.
King's retraction comes as a film adaptation of his novel, "The Long Walk," written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, is being released. The film, directed by "Hunger Games" director Francis Lawrence and starring "Licorice Pizza" star Cooper Hoffman and "Alien: Romulus" actor David Jonsson, follows a dystopian society where 100 young men must walk continuously at a pace of 3 mph at gunpoint until one is left.
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