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Last Updated:September 13, 2025, 16:54 IST

Author Stephen King and United States Senator Ted Cruz clashed online over the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk after the previous stated he promoted for “stoning gays”

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Stephen King and Senator Ted Cruz clashed online after King wrongly declared Charlie Kirk promoted stoning gays. Cruz called King a phony, leading King to excuse not fact-checking. Cruz valued the apology, prompting regard in political differences. Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University.

American author Stephen King and United States Republican Senator Ted Cruz clashed online over the assassination of conservative Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead throughout an occasion at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

The run-in started when Fox News host Jesse Watters explained Kirk as a patriot. “Charlie Kirk was not a ‘questionable’ or ‘polarising’ male. Charlie was a PATRIOT. This is a turning point, and all of us require to kip down the ideal instructions. Rest in peace, my buddy,” he said on X.

King responded to Watters’ post by saying, “He advocated stoning gays to death. Just sayin’.”This drew a heated reaction from Ted Cruz, who called the author a “dreadful, twisted phony.”

“You are a horrible, evil, twisted liar. 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?” Cruz composed on X.

King later on erased his tweet and apologised, stating he checked out something without fact-checking. “The terrible, wicked, twisted phony asks forgiveness. This is what I get for checking out something on Twitter w/o fact-checking. Will not take place once again,” he said.

Cruz valued King’s apology and stated both sides must deal with each other with regard and decency, even when it comes to political disputes. “All of us– on both sides of the aisle– must deal with each other with regard & & decency, even if we disagree on politics. Charlie did that every day, and I appreciated him for it.”

Charlie Kirk, an intense Trump patriot who held questionable viewpoints about race, abortion, faith and LGBTQ rights, was fatally shot in the neck throughout a dispute hosted by Turning Point USA at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The assassination sent out shockwaves throughout United States political circles and reignited the dispute around political violence in America.

Homages gathered from United States President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Trump revealed that Kirk would get a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Vance brought Kirk’s casket throughout his funeral service. FBI Director Kash Patel likewise bid him a psychological bye-bye on Friday.

The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah, was apprehended on Friday following an extreme three-day manhunt. According to authorities, the suspect’s dad turned him over to the authorities.