Stephen King has responded to backlash over a “racist” joke he posted on social media mocking U.S. President Donald Trump.
King had come under fire for a joke he posted on Threads, which repeated claims Trump made during the presidential campaign last year.
During a presidential debate on ABC, Trump said: “In Springfield, they are eating the dogs. The people that came in, they are eating the cats.”
Highlights
- Stephen King faced backlash for a joke repeating Trump's unfounded claim about Haitians eating pets.
- Many social media users condemned King's joke as racist and harmful, urging him to apologize.
- King refused to delete the post or apologize, telling critics to “see a doctor.”
Stephen King’s joke about Donald Trump didn’t land well with many social media users
Image credits: Variety via Getty Images
“They’re eating—they are eating the pets of the people that live there,” he added.
Trump was referring to illegal immigrants from Haiti.
There is no credible evidence to back up the claim, which was amplified by JD Vance and Elon Musk, and is seen as a racist comment.
Referencing the saga on Threads, King posted: “Why did Donald J. Trump cross the road? To see Haitians eating pets on the other side.”
But the joke did not sit well with social media users, with many angry at King for repeating the same claim.
“This is racist and harmful. I don’t care if you meant to be funny. Impact matters more than intent. Take it down and apologize. Be better,” one person wrote.
“And haven’t even apologized. It’s a shame to allow your legacy to be tarnished because you chose to repeat a MASSIVE racist social faux pas as a jokey joke,” another added.
Others branded it “disgusting and racist” and urged King to delete the post and issue an apology.
“It’s disappointing to see Stephen King using immature humor instead of thoughtful political discussion. His words fuel harmful stereotypes rather than encouraging understanding,” a netizen said. “A voice like his could be used more constructively.”
Another user commented: “This is not the way to be an ally. You can punch up without kicking down at the same time.”
King did not delete the post or apologize, instead doubling down in his response to the backlash.
King told users they should see a doctor if they didn’t find his joke funny
“The joke was about Trump. If you don’t get that, you should see a doctor and get your sense of humor checked,” he responded on Threads.
The post was accompanied by an image with the caption: “Anyone else notice how all of a sudden no one’s eating your cats and dogs anymore?
“No one’s performing sex change operations in schools or aborting babies after birth anymore.
“The price of eggs doesn’t matter and a recession isn’t a bad thing, it’s just a necessary growing pain.”
In the comments section, users said they understood it was a joke about Trump, but they were still angry about it.
Image credits: The White House
“The joke was racist when Trump made it. The joke was racist when you made it. White people need to listen to Black voices when they say something is racist. You, on your wealthy white male perch, do not get to say what is and isn’t racist,” one person replied.
“We know what the joke was about. Intent has no say on impact,” another added. “The joke was unprompted and unnecessary.”
“No we got the joke, it wasn’t funny. It uses a marginalized group as the punchline,” one comment read.
“People who are suffering immensely because of the psycho in charge. Rather than seeing you made a mistake and being an adult about it, you’re doubling down. As most White Men do. How predictable.”
King is a vocal liberal and has frequently criticized the Republican Party, especially Trump.
He has called Trump “a horrible president” and regularly denounces GOP policies on social media, particularly regarding healthcare, gun control, and free speech.