Stephen King has taken aim at Donald Trump and JD Vance following their tense exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.
The best-selling author condemned their treatment of Zelensky, calling them “bullies” and saying they should be ashamed of themselves.
The Ukrainian leader traveled to Washington to secure stronger security guarantees for his country. While the meeting began diplomatically, it quickly turned hostile when both Trump and Vance pressed Zelensky to express more gratitude for U.S. support. At one point, Vance told him it was “disrespectful” to challenge the issue in front of the media. When Zelensky pushed back, Trump raised his voice, warning him that he was “gambling with the lives of millions of people” and reminding him that Ukraine was “not in a good position.”
Western leaders voiced support for Zelensky after the incident, while Kremlin officials reportedly reacted with satisfaction. Meanwhile, reports suggested that the Ukrainian president was quickly ushered out of the White House following the heated exchange.
King responded to a post by fellow author Joe Hill, who criticized Trump and Vance for their actions, arguing that they despise Zelensky because he has “nerve, character, and courage.” King agreed, writing, “Trump and Vance should be ashamed of themselves, but bullies don’t ‘do’ shame.”
The horror writer, a longtime critic of Trump, has been outspoken about his views on the former president. Though he had left social media platform X after Trump’s reelection, he recently returned with a post doubling down on his disapproval, calling Trump “a traitorous, Putin-loving dips***” and adding that the same goes for Elon Musk.
King has previously described Trump as a “sociopath” who “tried to overturn democracy” because he could not accept losing. His latest remarks reinforce his ongoing criticism of the former president and his allies, particularly regarding their stance on Ukraine and relations with Russia.