Stephen King Is Not Backing Down Against Donald Trump

Stephen King has once again proven that he won't be quiet when it comes to sharing his thoughts on former President Donald Trump.

King joined the Democratic Party in 1970 and has been an outspoken critic of Trump since before the 77-year-old was elected president in 2016. Now he has accused the politician of not being "gracious" in victory after winning in the New Hampshire Republican primary on Tuesday.

Newsweek contacted representatives for King and Trump for comment via email on Thursday.

Trump won by 54.4 percent to Nikki Haley's 43.3 percent, according to The Associated Press. This has cemented the former president's position as the favorite to clinch the 2024 Republican nomination.

Trump has said that anyone who gives money to Nikki Haley's presidential campaign will be "permanently barred" from the MAGA movement after the former South Carolina governor claimed she had raised $1 million in donations since her defeat in New Hampshire.

In a post to Truth Social, Trump attacked Haley, writing: "Nikki 'Birdbrain' Haley is very bad for the Republican Party and, indeed, our Country. Her False Statements, Derogatory Comments, and Humiliating Public Loss, is demeaning to True American Patriots. Her anger should be aimed at her Third Rate Political Consultants and, more importantly, Crooked [President] Joe Biden and those that are destroying our Country—NOT THE PEOPLE WHO WILL SAVE IT.

"I knew Nikki well, she was average at best, is not the one to take on World Leaders, and she never did. That was up to me, and that is why they respected the United States.

"When I ran for Office and won, I noticed that the losing Candidate's 'Donors' would immediately come to me, and want to 'help out.' This is standard in Politics, but no longer with me," Trump added.

"Anybody that makes a 'Contribution' to Birdbrain, from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp. We don't want them, and will not accept them, because we Put America First, and ALWAYS WILL!"

King clearly doesn't approve of Trump's outburst, as he posted to X, formerly Twitter, on January 24: "Even in victory, Trump is unable to be gracious. Think about it, Republicans."

The horror author's political posts often prove to be divisive and when someone commented on his post saying, "We vote for him because of his policies, not his personality," King took the opportunity to respond.

"His personality and his politics are entwined. Don't you get that?" King asked.

Other X users have taken to King's post to condemn Trump and have suggested he doesn't actually have any policies.

"Trump meets the definition of 'Enemy of the State', and needs to be treated as one," one person wrote.

"His looks, his mind, his personality, his companions... and his politics. All ugly inside and out," said another.

"In reality, his words very rarely matched his actions," a third person wrote.

A fourth added: "He doesn't have any goddamn policies!"

However, others took the opportunity to defend Trump.

"Actually, no. I'm not a fan of his methods, i.e. the way he treats some people. However, I am a fan of world peace, cheap gas, low inflation, safe streets, and the most important issue of today, a secure border. Unless you are laying next to him, his personality flaws should not be an issue," one person wrote.

"You sound like you have finally realized he will win. It's OK, that will just give you four years of having something to attack here on X," a different X user said.

"What did Trump do that you view as not gracious, Steve? Or, is it your prejudice for Trump that is blinding your heart?" someone else asked.

As New Hampshire is considered more centrist than Iowa, it was seen as a huge chance for Haley to pose a serious challenge to Trump in the primary. She has refuted rumors that she will now drop out of the race and maintains that her focus is on winning the South Carolina primary on February 24.

This comes after Trump's resounding victory in the Iowa caucuses on January 15. Following the Iowa result, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who polling showed had been Trump's closest rival for most of the GOP race, dropped out and endorsed the former president.