Bestselling author Stephen King said the prospect of former President Donald Trump winning a so-called third term is the “worst thing” he can imagine, describing the scenario as a chilling outcome for the country.
King made the comments in an interview with MSNBC host Ali Velshi that aired Saturday, saying Trump’s belief that he can do no wrong and his reluctance to read make him dangerous. “The worst thing that I could think of is that this guy would get a third term because he’s basically an idiot, isn’t he?” King said. “I mean, he doesn’t read.”
King, a longtime critic of Trump, told Velshi that he would prefer to see the president removed from office via impeachment and called retirement an appealing outcome. “I would love to see him retired, let’s put it that way,” King said, adding that the alternative — Trump extending his political control — would be a “horror story.”
The remarks follow a recent question-and-answer session King did for The Guardian in which he was asked to imagine an ending for the Trump presidency. In that exchange, King again said impeachment would be a satisfactory end. In Saturday’s television interview he reiterated his concern about the possibility of Trump retaining or regaining unchecked power.
King qualified his criticism, saying he did not necessarily want to label Trump "crazy," but emphasized that Trump’s perceived invulnerability and dismissal of criticism are dangerous. “He believes he can’t do anything wrong. That is a dangerous thing,” King said.
The concern about a third term references an outcome that would be extraordinary under current U.S. law. The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution limits presidents to two elected terms, so a third elected term would require unprecedented legal or political changes.
King, an author whose work often explores political and social anxieties through horror and speculative fiction, has been vocal about his disapproval of Trump throughout and has used interviews and essays to express alarm about the former president’s influence. His latest novel, "Never Flinch," was published in May, and he has several screen adaptations and projects in various stages of release, including the television series "The Institute" on MGM+ and the upcoming HBO series "It: Welcome To Derry." Film adaptations of his works "The Long Walk" and "The Running Man" are also scheduled for release later this year.
In the MSNBC interview, Velshi referenced King’s earlier Guardian comments and asked him to expand on his view of an ending for Trump’s presidency. King answered directly, reiterating that impeachment would be a “good ending” and that a third term would be a terrifying alternative. He described Trump’s refusal to engage deeply with reading and information as part of the reason he sees Trump as unfit for continued political dominance.
King’s public remarks join a broader national conversation about the former president’s future role in American politics and the legal and political debates surrounding his candidacy and influence. While King spoke from the perspective of a private citizen and cultural figure, his comments reflect persistent concerns among critics about executive power, accountability and the resilience of democratic institutions.
The author’s statements landed amid a steady stream of cultural and political commentary from public figures and creators about the state of American democracy. King’s prominence as a writer and frequent commentator means his views are amplified across media platforms, where he has repeatedly framed political outcomes in terms familiar to his fiction: dire possibilities that hinge on human choices and institutional limits.