Senator Mike Lee Calls for Defamation Lawsuit Against Stephen King Over 'Heinously False' Charlie Kirk Accusation

Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee has publicly called for the estate of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to sue author Stephen King for defamation. The demand follows King's social media posts on September 11, 2025, which accused the recently deceased Kirk of advocating for the stoning of gay individuals. Kirk was fatally shot in Orem, Utah, on September 10.

Stephen King initially commented on Kirk's death, describing it as "another example of American gun violence." In a subsequent post on X, King directly claimed, "> Charlie Kirk… advocated stoning gays to death. Just sayin’." This statement was made in response to Fox News journalist Jesse Watters, who had eulogized Kirk as a "patriot."

Senator Lee strongly refuted King's accusation, reposting the author's comment and stating, "> Please share if you agree that the estate of Charlie Kirk should sue Stephen King for defamation over this heinously false accusation. He’s crossed a line. It will prove costly." Lee asserted that King's statement was made "with reckless disregard for the truth."

Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, held controversial views on LGBTQ+ issues. He had previously opposed same-sex marriage, quoted biblical passages calling for the death penalty for homosexuals, and advocated against the trans community. In June, Kirk also tweeted that it "should be legal" to burn Pride flags and had described Uganda's anti-gay policies, which include the death penalty, as a "step in the right direction," while acknowledging them as "extreme."

The dispute has drawn further reactions, with Dave Rubin, who is legally married to a man, calling King "more monstrous than any of the characters you ever came up with" for the accusation. The incident highlights the intense political polarization surrounding Kirk's death, which occurred while he was speaking at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University, with the motive behind the shooting still under investigation.