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Stephen King Draws Fire for Inaccurate Post About Trump Having “No Children”
Renowned horror author Stephen King faced significant backlash on social media Monday after publishing a post that criticized President Donald Trump’s personal life, including the demonstrably false claim that Trump “has never had a child.”
King’s post on X (formerly Twitter) read: “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 a–. Calls people he works with dumb, losers, ect. Has never done sweat labor. Has never served on a local committee.” The author concluded that Trump “has no life experience.”
The statement immediately drew criticism across social media platforms, with many pointing out that Trump is the father of five children: Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric from his marriage to Ivana Trump; Tiffany from his marriage to Marla Maples; and Barron from his current marriage to Melania Trump.
“Trump literally has 5 kids. What is this sh–?” posted the account Libs of TikTok, while 1776 Project PAC founder Ryan Girdusky simply noted, “Um… I’m pretty sure Donald Trump had children.” Other commentators responded with sarcasm, with conservative reporter Jerry Dunleavy writing, “Donald Trump, famously childless.”
King’s post comes as President Trump prepares to address Congress and the nation in his State of the Union speech scheduled for Tuesday evening, where he will report on his administration’s work since returning to office.
What makes King’s post particularly unusual is that it appears to be an attempt to repurpose a similar attack that had been directed at Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. On Saturday, a self-described “MAGA mother of three” with the account name “Stacy is Right” had criticized Ocasio-Cortez for having no children, never being married, never having run a business, and lacking “real life experience.”
King reshared that original post before publishing his own version targeting Trump, but with factual errors that undermined his message. Matt Van Swol, identified as a former Department of Energy nuclear scientist, called out King for this approach: “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?”
This incident is part of a pattern of politically charged social media posts from King, who has been vocal in his criticism of Trump throughout the president’s second term. In February 2025, King described Trump as “a traitorous, Putin-loving dipsh–” and earlier this year compared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to Nazi Germany’s Gestapo. He has also criticized Trump’s economic policies, particularly regarding tariffs.
King’s representatives did not respond to requests for comment regarding the intention behind his post or whether he plans to issue a correction about Trump’s family.
The incident highlights the increasingly polarized nature of political discourse on social media platforms, where even public figures with large followings can share misinformation that quickly attracts attention and criticism. It also underscores how attempts to repurpose political attacks can backfire when basic facts are overlooked in the process.
King, who has written over 60 novels and is considered one of the most successful authors in American history, has long been outspoken about his political views, particularly his opposition to Trump and Republican policies.
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12 Comments
As much as some may dislike Trump, making false claims about his family is unacceptable. He has five children that are widely known. Fact-checking is crucial, especially for public figures with large platforms. Disappointing to see this kind of misinformation.
Absolutely. Regardless of one’s political views, spreading demonstrably false information damages credibility and fuels further polarization. We should hold all public figures to high standards of accuracy.
Hmm, this claim about Trump having no children seems quite inaccurate. He has five kids from different marriages – Ivanka, Donald Jr., Eric, Tiffany, and Barron. King should have verified his facts before making such a bold statement.
Agreed, Trump’s family life and business history are well-documented. Making false claims, even about a polarizing figure, undermines one’s credibility.
While King is certainly entitled to his political views, spreading demonstrably false information is irresponsible, especially for a public figure. Trump’s children and business record are widely known facts, not open to debate.
Fact-checking is so important these days, especially on social media. It’s a shame when even respected authors get basic facts wrong, playing into the broader misinformation problem.
King’s claim about Trump having no children is simply incorrect. The president has five well-documented kids from different marriages. While opinions may differ, facts should not be distorted, even against a controversial figure. Responsible journalism and commentary require verifying information.
Agreed. Providing inaccurate information, even about a polarizing public figure, undermines one’s own credibility and the broader discourse. We need more thoughtful, fact-based criticism, not easily disprovable falsehoods.
I’m surprised a writer of King’s stature would make such a blatantly false claim. Regardless of one’s political leanings, dealing in falsehoods undermines credibility and fuels further division. Stick to the facts, folks.
Exactly. Even if you dislike someone, making up ‘facts’ about them is counterproductive. It just gives their supporters ammunition to dismiss all criticism as fake news.
King’s statement about Trump having no children is simply wrong. The president has five kids from three different marriages – that’s a well-established part of his biography. Spreading misinformation, even against a controversial figure, is never a good look.
Agreed. While people may disagree with Trump’s politics or business dealings, getting basic facts wrong just weakens one’s argument. Stick to the truth, even for public figures you dislike.