Stephen King's Controversial Comment On The Trump Shooting Sparks Outrage

Author Stephen King has sparked outrage after posting a comment about the Donald Trump shooting on Saturday. A gunman opened fire on a Trump rally near Butler, in Pennsylvania, injuring the former president and killing one attendee and leaving two others seriously wounded, according to a Secret Service spokesperson. Alluding to the weapon used in the incident, King posted: "An AR-15 style semiautomatic rifle was used in the Butler shooting. These are the guns the Republican Party—and Trump—want to protect."

Immediately, the author's post was inundated with responses. One user commented: "For a fiction writer, Stephen King knows little about this subject. Stay your fictional lane." The post has already had more than 780,000 views. The bestselling writer, known for his horror novels and outspoken political views, has previously shared his thoughts on Trump's influence on American politics.

He has been vocal about his disapproval of decisions made by the Supreme Court relating to the former president, and called out several justices for allegedly considering Trump to be "above the law." "Trump's cronies are planning what amounts to a fascist state, and the Supreme Court is clearing the way for them. This should concern conservatives as well as liberals," King posted on X earlier in July.

An AR-15 style semiautomatic rifle was used in the Butler shooting. These are the guns the Republican party—and Trump—want to protect.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 14, 2024

King has been a vocal critic of Trump for some time. In 2016, he was one of 450 writers to sign an open letter slamming the Republican's candidacy, and he has regularly criticized the politician on X. However, the renowned author's latest comment regarding the gun used in the Trump alleged assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday has led to strong reactions on social media.

"You and the hateful rhetoric you spread every day contributed to what happened yesterday. You are part of the problem in this country," blasted one user underneath King's comment. Another responded to King's post saying, "The ignorance contained in this post disqualifies you from further participation in public discourse on this matter. The right of free speech enables you to continue. And the ignorance of your audience empowers you. God help us all."

Another X user commented: "Guns themselves don't kill. People with guns do. And crossbows, knives, stones, candle holders, even books." While another said simply: "Sit this one out, Mr. King. You're out of your element here."

AnthonyScudier4 posted: "Four people shot... One dead, two in critical condition, and Stephen's humanity sees this and thinks, 'I can make this into a great political point on X and it should get a lot of impressions.' That's a VERY Dark, Dark soul...!"

Another user commented: "What is wrong with you? Your first post about the shooting is to... blame TRUMP and the Republican Party!!" Former Right Side Broadcasting Network writer Ashley Muñoz @RedLady2024 commented below the author's post, saying: "A RIFLE DIDN'T SHOOT TRUMP, A HUMAN DID. Let's focus on the criminal, not their device. Typical liberal idiocy shines brightly, from you."

Newsweek reached out to King through his website on Sunday requesting comment.