Renowned author Stephen King has sparked a social media frenzy with his sharp criticism of former President Donald Trump, following Trump’s controversial decision to back out of a scheduled debate on ABC News. In a series of biting posts on X (formerly Twitter) on August 3, 2024, King took aim at Trump, accusing him of being “scared” and labeling his behavior with a derogatory term from his youth.
King’s critique came in response to Trump’s sudden shift from an ABC News debate to a proposed face-off with Vice President Kamala Harris on Fox News. Initially scheduled to debate President Joe Biden, who has since ended his re-election campaign, Trump’s unexpected move has been interpreted by many as an attempt to avoid a direct confrontation in a less favorable setting.
King didn’t hold back. “Donald Trump is running scared and trying to back out of the debate he already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to bail him out,” King tweeted. In another post, he derided Trump’s reluctance to debate Harris, saying, “An elderly man afraid to debate a woman; hoping his base will bail him out. As kids, we called this kind of behavior chickensh*t.”
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The controversy erupted after Trump’s announcement that he would no longer participate in the ABC News debate, opting instead for a new format on Fox News. Trump justified the switch by citing pre-existing litigation against ABC Network and its anchor, George Stephanopoulos, as conflicts of interest. He argued that the debate was originally set for a match-up with Biden, and with Biden out of the race, the terms of the debate no longer suited him.
In response, Vice President Harris’s campaign swiftly condemned Trump’s decision. Harris campaign spokesperson Michael Tyler expressed frustration over Trump’s apparent retreat. “Donald Trump is running scared and trying to back out of the debate he already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to bail him out. He needs to stop playing games and show up to the debate he already committed to on Sept 10,” Tyler stated.
Tyler emphasized that Harris was ready to debate at the agreed-upon time and place, and Trump’s refusal highlighted his apparent fear of facing a formidable opponent. “The Vice President will be there one way or the other to take the opportunity to speak to a prime-time national audience. We’re happy to discuss further debates after the one both campaigns have already agreed to. Mr. Anytime, anywhere, anyplace should have no problem with that unless he’s too scared to show up on the 10th.”
This debate debacle has attracted widespread criticism not only from King and the Harris campaign but also from various political commentators. Many view Trump’s maneuver as a strategic retreat designed to ensure a more favorable environment and sympathetic moderators, reinforcing the perception of his reluctance to engage in challenging debates.
As the debate saga unfolds, it remains to be seen how this controversy will impact the 2024 presidential race. One thing is clear: Stephen King’s brutal critique and the surrounding uproar have ensured that this debate dispute will remain a hot topic in the coming weeks.
