Stephen King, the famed horror novelist known for his outspoken views, has slammed President Donald Trump as “an idiot” and described him as “dangerous”.
In an interview on MSNBC’s Velshi program, King did not hold back, warning that the 79-year-old's belief in his own invincibility is a serious threat to the country.
“The worst thing that I could think of is that this guy would get a third term because he's basically an idiot, isn't he?” he said. “I mean, he doesn't read.”
King’s concerns didn’t stop there, as he emphasized that Trump’s belief that he cannot be wrong is even more troubling.
“That is a dangerous thing,” he remarked, calling it the most alarming trait in the president’s character, adding: “He is basically, I don't want to use the word ‘crazy,’ because I don't really think that he is, but he's certainly dangerous.”
For the King of Horror, Trump's presidency has been a horror story of its own. Reflecting on the possibility of a third term for the leader, King said: “The bad ending would be that he gets a third term and takes things over completely. It’s a horror story either way. Trump is a horror story, isn’t he?”
The author has long been critical of the two-time president, even facing backlash for a controversial joke in May 2023.
The post, which referenced a bizarre claim that the president made during his campaign about Haitian migrants eating pets, was called racist by many.
King defended the joke, explaining that it was meant to target Trump, not immigrants. “The joke was about Trump. If you don't get that, you should see a doctor and get your sense of humor checked,” he fired back at critics.
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In addition to his criticisms of Trump, the IT writer has also been candid about his own health.
At 77 years old, he admitted to fears about his mental decline in an interview with The Times, saying that he sometimes struggles to remember words and worries it may be a sign of dementia.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” the novelist confessed, acknowledging that he scares himself when his memory falters. “Every time that I can’t remember a word or something, I think, ‘This is the start.’”
Despite these worries, King remains prolific, continuing to write up to 1,200 words per day and keeping his creative ideas flowing.
His latest project, The Long Walk, a dystopian book originally published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, has been adapted into a film set to be released on September 12.
While King admits that the end of his writing career is inevitable, he expressed his desire to go out on his own terms, with readers still eager for more.
“I have at least one more book that I would like to write,” he said, adding that he doesn’t want his work published posthumously. “I’d like to go out where people say, ‘I’d like another one.’”