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Stephen King, the popular horror writer behind bestsellers like 'IT,' 'The Shining,' and 'Pet Sematary,' on Saturday (Dec 21), slammed Elon Musk, and issued a stark warning over his influence over US president-elect Donald Trump.

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Taking to Threads, Meta's alternative to X, King said that even though the Tesla CEO isn't the President-elect, he was "running the show".

Stephen King's warning

As the US prepares for Trump's second presidency, with his inauguration slated for 20 January, the acclaimed author on Threads said, "You can't call Elon Musk the President-elect, because he wasn't elected. In fact, having been born in Pretoria, he is ineligible to become president. Nonetheless, he is running the show. You know that, but it bears repeating."

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Stephen King is not alone in his concern over Musk's growing influence over Trump. Unlike his first term, Trump now appears closely aligned with Musk, who has increasingly become a controversial and divisive figure in US politics.  

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The alliance between Trump and Musk has stirred widespread debate, particularly after some Republicans suggested Musk as a potential Speaker of the House during ongoing budget negotiations to prevent a government shutdown.  

Fans react to King's post with dismay

King's post triggered an outpouring of reactions, with many readers expressing alarm at the scenario he painted. Some likened the current political climate to the horror found in King's novels, commenting that the reality was "scarier".  

One fan commented, "This real life is eminently scarier than any of the books of yours that I’ve read. I hate it. Can I just try to first fight Pennywise or Cujo? You could write a book about Elon called maximum over-fried."  

Also read | Trump taps 'The Apprentice' producer Mark Burnett as US special envoy to the UK

Others lamented the situation's global implications. A South African reader remarked, "Scary s*** this. And as a South African, I'm a tad embarrassed." 

Another user commented, "He is President-select. Selected by Trump to buy the presidency."

Yet another posted AI images portraying Trump as a puppet whose strings Musk controls. 

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King's history of Musk criticism

This is not the first time the horror genre author has criticised Musk. In the lead-up to November's election, Musk shared a video alleging Vice President Kamala Harris supported "mandatory gun confiscation," alleging that "She wants to break the Constitution". King swiftly dismissed the claim, calling it "ridiculous." He later urged his followers to vote for Harris: "IF YOU LOVE DEMOCRACY, PLEASE VOTE FOR KAMALA HARRIS".

Earlier, King addressed rumours that Musk had banned him from posting on X (formerly Twitter). Speculation suggested King had referred to Musk as Trump's "first lady," angering the Tesla CEO and leading to a ban. King, however, clarified the rumour on Threads, stating, "I didn't [say it], but only because I didn't think of it."

(With inputs from agencies)