‘I have to give him that’: Stephen King warns Trump might be using death rumors as a smokescreen for more power grabs

Stephen King, a frequent Donald Trump critic, isn’t buying reports that the president is sick or even possibly dying, according to a recent post from the author on X.

King posted on X, “Trump is a hell of a carny pitchman, I have to give him that. When a ton of people tune in, he’s going to say he’s sending troops to Chicago. Probably started the rumor he’s sick or dead himself.” King’s post came after days of speculation over the president’s well-being, as Trump kept an unusually low profile, and after troubling photos of his hands raised concern that he was unwell.

The Trump health controversy

King’s post also came in advance of Trump’s planned remarks on Tuesday, September 2, at 2 pm EST, Trump’s first formal press appearance since late August. As rumors swirled that Trump may have actually died, the White House released grainy photos of the president and said he’d been golfing. Those photos, too, swiftly became conspiracy fodder. Trump has posted on Truth Social, but many say the tone and writing in the posts seem out of character.

After announcing Trump’s September 2 Oval Office appearance, the White House clarified that it pertains to the Department of Defense. While specific details have not been disclosed, reports suggest that the announcement will involve the relocation of U.S. Space Command from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Huntsville, Alabama.

Huntsville was initially Trump’s preferred location for Space Force, but the Biden administration decided to keep it in Colorado.

Response to the Space Force news did little to reassure those skeptical online that Trump is healthy. “Sounds like a waste of a press conference. But we all know it’s to make him look like he’s healthy and well, even though we all know he isn’t,” one comment said.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly threatened to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, as King mentioned, citing a surge in shootings over Labor Day weekend as proof that the city is out of control under Democratic leadership. He claims federal troops could quickly restore order, pointing to what he calls past success in Washington, D.C., and has even ordered the Pentagon to prepare specialized Guard units for rapid domestic deployments.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson strongly oppose the plan, labeling it unconstitutional and a political stunt. Johnson has signed an order to block local cooperation with federal troops.

Legal experts warn that deploying the Guard without state consent would likely violate the Posse Comitatus Act, unless Trump invokes the Insurrection Act, raising concerns about federal overreach and the precedent of using military force for routine crime control.

The real reason aside, the response to King’s post showed that some also believe the health-related controversy could be an orchestrated attempt to distract from something sinister. “I agree. He has been surfing on the fact that people believed him to be completely lunatic, but he is far from that: he has great emotional intelligence and he is a master creator of television,” one King comment said.