Stephen King Predicts Cultural Backlash Against Trump
Liberal author Stephen King warns that President Donald Trump could face a long-term cultural backlash. He predicts that, in the coming decades, many of Trump’s supporters may deny ever voting for him.
In a recent interview with U.K. newspaper The Sunday Times, King defended his outspoken criticism of Trump on social media. He acknowledged that some fans may support the former president, but he insisted it is his duty to speak up.
“It’s a question, like the song says, ‘Which side are you on?’” King explained.
Trump in Future History
King suggested that history books will portray Trump negatively. He expects his supporters will quickly disassociate from him. Drawing an analogy from sports history, he said:
“There’s a story about the home run that was heard around the world. Tens of thousands claim they saw Bobby Thomson hit that home run, yet only about 5,000 people were in the stands. I think the opposite is true with Trump. Twenty or 30 years from now, many will say, ‘Well, I never voted for Trump.’”
King also pointed to his 1979 novel, The Dead Zone, as foreshadowing Trump’s presidency. He warned that few would have imagined reality matching fiction.
“Nobody would have believed where we are today, with Gestapo-like agents in the streets — they call themselves ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], but they are armed, masked, heavily funded, and everywhere,” he said.
Reaction and Social Media Warnings
The White House responded sharply. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital:
“Since Stephen has spent so long writing fiction, it’s understandable that he’d have no grasp on reality.”
Meanwhile, King, who has nearly 7 million followers on X, warned Americans on Sept. 1 that they could turn against Trump in the next election:
“Trump and his greedhead cronies may get a big surprise despite their efforts to rig the 2026 election. They could find themselves swamped by a blue wave. Americans are wising up to the fact that Trump is turning the American dream into a nightmare.”
Longtime Critic of Trump
King has consistently criticized Trump and Republican policies. During Trump’s first term, he called for impeachment and compared the detention of migrant families to scenes from his horror novels, highlighting the real-life horrors he sees in current policies.
