On February 23, renowned author Stephen King ignited controversy by making a false statement about Donald Trump’s family on social media platform X. King claimed that the former president, nicknamed POTUS, “has never had a child,” despite having been married three times. This assertion, which directly contradicted widely known facts, sparked immediate backlash, as Trump is the father of five children: Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany, and Barron.
King’s false claim intended to underscore his criticism of Trump’s competence and life experience, presenting it as an example of the former president’s alleged lack of responsibility and maturity. However, the online community, including several public figures and members of Trump’s own family, swiftly challenged the inaccuracy and ridiculed King’s remarks.
Details of King’s False Claims and the Response from Public and Trump’s Family
In his post, King accused Trump not only of having no children but also of a series of professional and personal failings. These included declarations that Trump had
“ran several businesses into the ground, never ran a home, couldn’t make a bed to save his a**, calls people he works with dub losers, etc.”
King implied that Trump has never engaged in any meaningful labor or gained real-life experience.
This attack came just before the planned State of the Union address, a traditional event where the president outlines the nation’s challenges and policy proposals. King’s comments appeared aimed at undermining Trump’s credibility ahead of this speech.
Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., responded directly on X, sarcastically noting,
“Well, this is news to me…unless he means birthed a child, which would also hold true for every male ever. TDS [Trump Derangement Syndrome] is real, and it’s scary.”
Similarly, Ryan Girdusky, founder of the 1776 Project PAC, stated,
“Um… I’m pretty sure Donald Trump has children.”
Conservative reporter Jerry Dunleavy wittily added, “Donald Trump, famously childless.” Further criticism came from conservative writer Bonchie, who questioned,
“Is there a 25th Amendment for taking people’s phones away?”
Matt Van Swol, a former Department of Energy employee, accused King of plagiarism, observing:
“You literally plagiarized an entire post which was about AOC and then applied it to Trump, for whom it isn’t true and doesn’t make any sense. Why are you plagiarizing? I thought you were a writer.”
Connection to Similar Comments About Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
King’s erroneous claim about Trump mirrored earlier statements aimed at Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). An X account, Stacy Is Right, identified as a MAGA mother of three, posted disparaging remarks against AOC just a day before King’s tweet. Her post claimed,
“AOC has never had a child. Has never been married. Has never run a business. Has never run a home. Has never managed people. Has never held a professional job. Has never served on a local committee. Has no real-life experience. Is a typical deadbeat socialist.”
These statements were part of a broader political feud, as AOC had recently criticized the Trump administration at the Munich Security Conference, accusing it of damaging transatlantic alliances and ushering in an “age of authoritarians.”
AOC is recognized as one of Trump’s prominent critics and notably refused to attend his 2025 inauguration, declaring on social media,
“I don’t celebrate rap**ts, so no, I am not going.”
Observers called out King’s rhetoric as a plagiarized recycling of previous attacks. One social media user commented, “He’s pathetically plagiarizing the tweets.”
Stephen King’s History of Public Criticism Toward Donald Trump
This incident was not King’s first outspoken condemnation of Trump. In a 2025 interview with The Guardian, King speculated about the future of America under Trump’s influence, stating,
“If you had to invent an ending for Trumpian America, what would it be? I think it would be impeachment.”
He expressed a wish to see Trump retired, adding,
“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?”
King’s criticism dates back even further: a 2019 tweet highlighted his early prediction of Trump’s rise, with King declaring that the reality of Trump’s presidency was “scarier than anything he’s written.”
More recently, in June, King tweeted harsh assessments, labeling Trump an
“incompetent a**hole,”
and comparing him to a spoiled child who throws tantrums when denied his desires. King had also expressed his disapproval during Trump’s first presidential term, stating in a 2022 Sunday Times interview,
“I happen to think that Trump was a horrible president and is a horrible person.”
Before the 2024 presidential election, King accused Trump of refusing to debate Democratic contender Kamala Harris, an allegation that prompted a terse response from Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung, who called King “a dumba**.”
Widespread Criticism and Calls for Fact-Checking from Social Media Users
King’s false claim prompted a fierce reaction across social media platforms, with numerous users condemning the spread of misinformation by the acclaimed author. One netizen wrote,
“Even horror writers should fact-check.”
Many others expressed disbelief and frustration at the inaccurate assertions circulating online.
Critics pointed to King’s role as a professional writer, questioning why he would propagate clearly false information. Comments included skeptical remarks from user accounts such as Jennifer Reeser, Blue sparrow, and BigMykJay, each dismissing King’s statement about Trump’s children as baseless and misleading.
One social media user jokingly referenced potential legal consequences, with Bruce Yngsdal tweeting about the possibility of a multi-million-dollar lawsuit arising from such claims. Others invoked news organizations like Fox News to highlight the gravity of the misinformation.
Overall, the backlash reflects broader frustration over political misinformation and the responsibilities of public figures in maintaining accuracy when making public accusations.
The Significance of the Controversy and Its Potential Effects
This dispute underscores the intense polarization surrounding Donald Trump and the frequent use of social media as a battlefield for political rhetoric. Stephen King’s false claim about Trump’s family not only damaged his credibility but also fueled a wave of criticism from diverse corners, including Trump’s own children and conservative commentators.
The incident highlights the necessity for careful fact-checking, especially from influential voices, as misinformation risks misleading public opinion and escalating political tensions. Given King’s prominent platform, the backlash may prompt both him and others to exercise greater caution in making public statements.
As political debates intensify ahead of upcoming elections and major governmental addresses, accuracy in public discourse remains crucial. The controversy also serves as a reminder of the power of social media to amplify both truth and falsehoods rapidly, influencing audiences on a broad scale.
Trump:
Has never had a child.
Has been married 3 times
Ran several businesses into the ground
Never ran a home, couldn’t make a bed to save his ass
calls people he works with dumb, losers, etc.
Has never done sweat labor
Has never served on a local committee
Has no life…— Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 23, 2026
Steve, Donald Trump has had 3 successful marriages, 5 children, and 11 grandchildren
Go back to writing your sci-fi novels
— Three Year Letterman (@3YearLetterman) February 23, 2026
You literally plagiarized an entire post…which was about AOC… and then applied it to Trump…
… for whom it isn’t true and doesn’t make any sense
Why are you plagiarizing?
I thought you were a writer? pic.twitter.com/Ri5he0By3P
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) February 23, 2026
I want my royalties. Lol.😂
— Stacy is Right (@PoliticalStacy) February 23, 2026
Trump isn’t what you’d call a gracious loser, is he?
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 20, 2026
Author @StephenKing predicted the rise of Trump 40 years ago — but he says the reality is scarier than anything he’s written pic.twitter.com/eVaza9TRgj
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) July 12, 2019
The fact that you actually wrote a book blows my mind.
— Sarah Sizzle (@sizzle_sarah) February 23, 2026
What blows my mind is people actually read them.
— Famous Kami (@SmithKinny98636) February 23, 2026
Tell us about your sweat labor Stephen.
— Johnny B (@Appalachiabees) February 23, 2026
Has never been to Epstein’s island, unlike you.
— Aslan of Narnia (@AslanNexus) February 23, 2026
Steve’s last good book was the shining movie
— RTB (@EG86RTB) February 23, 2026
Sadly, @StephenKing starts his rant with a lie (no kids) which impugns anything else he has to say in that post. Although he has a right to his opinions, it is hard to put much substance into the rantings of a man whose primary focus in life has been to create writings about…
— Sonny Harris (@Brokerjoker57) February 23, 2026
I wonder if he's using AI to write his books now.
— Jennifer Reeser🇺🇸 📝✝️ (@jennifereeser) February 23, 2026
Nobody cares. Stephen King writes fiction.
— Blue sparrow 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Bluesparrow222) July 12, 2019
Sounds like another multi-million-dollar lawsuit.
— Bruce Yngsdal (@BDY31364606) February 24, 2026
He’s just making up things, you know, like he does for his movies!!!
— KSL (@KSL1956) February 24, 2026
Stephen King: 'Trump has never had a child.'
Trump: 5 kids.
Even horror writers should fact-check. 👀😂— BigMykJay (@BigMykJay) February 24, 2026
He actually copied a AOC thread word for word
— Mike (@michael_mi64269) February 24, 2026
I think he is sourcing reactions for his next hoax story
— DAT Ohaji First Son (@tv_awarra) February 24, 2026
He hasn't written a decent book in 15 years, he has to get publicity somehow
— TJ Sampson (@tjsampson) February 24, 2026
Stephen King saying Trump has no kids? Bro literally forgot the entire Trump family exists 😭 TDS hitting different
— Ethan (@epayne32) February 24, 2026
Criticism is expected when claims are clearly false. Stephen King saying Donald Trump “has no children” is easily disproven all public records show he has five.
— Aproko Units (@aproko_units) February 24, 2026
King is doing what he does best.
Writing fiction.nothing to see here…..
— Shadow band. (@shnirk01133496) February 24, 2026
Stephen King definitely caused a stir 😬 That claim about Trump having no children is factually incorrect, which explains the online backlash.
— talha nizamani (@talha_baloch111) February 24, 2026
