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Stephen King apologized after claiming that Charlie Kirk “advocated stoning gays to death,” saying he had overstated what Kirk said and had shared the claim without fact-checking it. The underlying recording shows that Kirk cited a biblical passage describing death by stoning for male same-sex intercourse and called the surrounding rule “God’s perfect law when it comes to sexual matters.” However, the reviewed record does not show Kirk explicitly proposing that contemporary governments stone gay people.
What Stephen King said—and then withdrew
On September 11, 2025, King replied to a post by Fox News host Jesse Watters on X. Referring to Kirk, he wrote: “He advocated stoning gays to death. Just sayin’.” King later deleted the post.
On September 12, King apologized. In his first explanation, he wrote: “I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages.” In another response, King said he was wrong, had deleted the post, and had written it after reading material on X without fact-checking.
The correction was significant. King did not retract the fact that Kirk had discussed a biblical stoning passage. He retracted—or at least narrowed—the characterization that Kirk had personally advocated stoning gay people. Variety, The Independent, and FactCheck.org reported the deletion and apology. [CIT001] [CIT002] [CIT003] [CIT004]
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What Charlie Kirk said in the original discussion
The disputed remarks came from a June 8, 2024 episode of The Charlie Kirk Show. Kirk was responding to a Pride-related video by Rachel Anne Accurso, widely known as Ms. Rachel. In the video, Accurso referred to the biblical instruction to love one’s neighbor.
Kirk argued that Accurso was quoting the Bible selectively. He directed listeners to a passage in Leviticus that he described as saying a man who lies with another man “shall be stoned to death.” He then referred to the surrounding material as “God’s perfect law when it comes to sexual matters.” [CIT004] [CIT005]
FactCheck.org located the exchange at approximately the one-hour mark of the episode. The official program page identified in its reporting now redirects to the Salem News Channel’s Charlie Kirk archive and does not make a complete searchable transcript readily available, so the independent fact-check is particularly important for establishing the relevant wording and context. [CIT004] [CIT006]
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Did Kirk advocate stoning gay people?
That depends on what “advocated” is intended to mean, but the available evidence supports a careful distinction:
| Claim | What the record supports |
|---|---|
| Kirk quoted or referred to a biblical passage describing stoning for male same-sex intercourse. | Supported by the reported episode and the quoted exchange. |
| Kirk called the relevant biblical law “perfect” in the context of sexual matters. | Supported by the reported wording. |
| Kirk explicitly proposed that a modern government stone gay people. | Not established by the reviewed sources. |
| Kirk’s remarks can reasonably be interpreted by critics as approving the biblical punishment. | That is an interpretation documented in later coverage, but it is not the same as an explicit modern policy proposal. |
The phrase “advocated stoning gays to death” is therefore stronger than the underlying quotation alone establishes. It turns a discussion of a biblical rule—and Kirk’s positive description of that rule—into a direct claim about Kirk’s own contemporary political position.
That does not mean the remarks are free from controversy or that critics have no basis for their interpretation. Someone could reasonably argue that calling the law “perfect” while invoking its death penalty suggests approval. Others could read the exchange as Kirk’s attempt to present what he regarded as the Bible’s full teaching, without calling for the punishment to be enacted by modern states. National Catholic Reporter documented both readings. [CIT007]
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Why the wording matters
Three different propositions were compressed into one sentence:
- Kirk discussed a biblical passage prescribing death by stoning for male same-sex intercourse.
- He characterized the surrounding biblical law as perfect in matters of sexuality.
- He personally advocated stoning gay people to death.
The first two propositions are directly supported by the available account of the podcast exchange. The third is a stronger inference. The sources reviewed do not show Kirk explicitly calling for a current criminal law or government policy that would stone gay people.
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Timeline of the controversy
- June 8, 2024: Kirk discusses Ms. Rachel’s Pride-related message on The Charlie Kirk Show, cites the Leviticus stoning passage, and calls the relevant sexual law “God’s perfect law.” [CIT004] [CIT005]
- September 10, 2025: Kirk is shot and killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University, according to contemporaneous reporting. The event prompted renewed circulation of his earlier remarks. [CIT001] [CIT003]
- September 11, 2025: King posts on X that Kirk “advocated stoning gays to death.” [CIT002] [CIT004]
- September 12, 2025: King deletes the post and apologizes, saying Kirk had demonstrated how people cherry-pick biblical passages. [CIT001] [CIT002] [CIT003]
- September 13, 2025: Variety publishes a detailed account of the apology and the podcast context. [CIT001]
The most accurate way to describe the incident
The most precise summary is this:
Kirk invoked a biblical passage prescribing death by stoning for male same-sex intercourse and called the surrounding law perfect, but the reviewed record does not show him explicitly proposing that contemporary governments stone gay people. King later apologized for describing those remarks as an advocacy of stoning gay people.
This wording preserves the documented substance of Kirk’s comments without converting an interpretive dispute into an established fact. It also explains why King’s original statement drew criticism: it presented a contested conclusion about intent as though it were an explicit quotation or policy proposal.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains unresolved
The recording, as described by the available reporting, establishes what passage Kirk invoked and how he characterized it. It does not by itself settle the question of whether his approval of the biblical rule should be understood as an implicit endorsement of its punishment.
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In this case, King’s own follow-up is the clearest reason not to state categorically that Kirk advocated a modern campaign to stone gay people. His apology acknowledged that his original formulation went beyond what he had verified.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Stephen King apologize for?
King apologized for saying that Charlie Kirk “advocated stoning gays to death.” He said he had been wrong, deleted the post, and had shared the claim after reading material on X without fact-checking it.
What did Charlie Kirk say about stoning?
During a June 8, 2024 episode of The Charlie Kirk Show, Kirk cited a Leviticus passage describing death by stoning for male same-sex intercourse and called the surrounding rule “God’s perfect law when it comes to sexual matters.”
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Did the available evidence show that Kirk called for a modern law requiring gay people to be stoned?
No. The reviewed sources do not establish an explicit proposal for a contemporary government policy. Critics may interpret Kirk’s praise of the biblical rule as implicit approval, but that is different from a documented modern policy proposal.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: King was right to correct the wording of his original post. The record shows that Kirk cited a biblical stoning passage and described the relevant law as perfect; it does not clearly show Kirk explicitly advocating that modern governments stone gay people. The dispute is over the meaning and implication of Kirk’s remarks, not over whether he mentioned the passage.
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