Stephen King at a public event. Getty Images.
Renowned horror author Stephen King made a surprise return to X (formerly Twitter) on February 20. The bestselling writer had previously quit the platform, citing its increasingly toxic atmosphere. However, he returned briefly to take a jab at former President Donald Trump and the platform’s owner, Elon Musk.
A Bold Statement
King greeted his 6.8 million followers with a dramatic entrance: “I’m baaaack! Did you miss me?” He wasted no time expressing his opinions, adding, “Just wanted to say that Trump is a traitorous, Putin-loving dipshit! Goes double for Elon!”
Exit from X
King initially announced his departure from X on November 14, 2024. He had struggled to stay on the platform but ultimately found it too negative. "Tried to stay, but the atmosphere has just become too toxic," he wrote. He encouraged his followers to find him on Threads, but he soon made Bluesky his primary social media space.
Continued Criticism on Bluesky
Even after leaving X, King remained vocal about Trump. On Bluesky, he regularly criticized the former president’s actions and statements. Just a day before his return to X, he accused Trump of unfairly blaming Ukraine for the war and falsely portraying President Volodymyr Zelensky as a dictator.
A week earlier, he also attacked both Trump and Musk, stating, “Trump and Musk are basically ignoring the Constitution they — Trump, at least — took an oath to defend.”
Return Coincides with Film Release
King’s return to X happened just before the theatrical release of The Monkey, a horror film based on his short story and directed by Osgood Perkins. Despite the timing, he hasn’t used the platform to promote the movie. Instead, his post, filled with sharp criticism, quickly gained traction, surpassing 100,000 likes within four hours.
While it remains unclear if King will stay on X, his brief comeback certainly made waves.
