Stephen King compares Donald Trump's Iran threats to his scariest book

1 week ago 7

Published Apr 7, 2026, 11:49 AM EDT

'I predicted someone like Trump many years ago'

Stephen King has written a lot of books (77 at last count), so it makes sense that eventually, one of them would come true. Ironically, King's most prescient novel may turn out to be The Dead Zone, about a man who wakes up from a coma with the power to see the future. In the 1979 thriller, the main character sees a future where an unhinged U.S. president threatens to plunge the world into nuclear Armageddon.

If you think that sounds familiar, you're not alone. King himself warned on Bluesky on Tuesday about the similarities between The Dead Zone and President Donald Trump's recent escalation of the Iran conflict. While Trump hasn't threatened to use nuclear weapons outright, he did post on Truth Social on Tuesday that if Iran didn't reach a deal with the U.S. over the conflcit, "A whole civilization will die tonight." In response to the president's saber-rattling, King joined a growing call for Congress to intervene, even if it meant removing Trump from office.

"I predicted someone like Trump many years ago, in THE DEAD ZONE," King wrote. "So now I'm saying this--in the next 12-16 months, we're going to find out if the two machines for the removal of a man unable to fulfill his duties actually work. They are impeachment and the 25th amendment. He is deeply unwell."

I predicted someone like Trump many years ago, in THE DEAD ZONE. So now I'm saying this--in the next 12-16 months, we're going to find out if the two machines for the removal of a man unable to fulfill his duties actually work. They are impeachment and the 25th amendment. He is deeply unwell . — Stephen King (@stephenking.bsky.social) 2026-04-07T10:20:07.659Z

Notably, in The Dead Zone, the politician in question doesn't actually become president. Instead, he's a successful businessman who launches a populist campaign for Congress and hires a biker gang to go after his opponents. After the book's psychic protagonist sees a glimpse of the future, he attempts to assassinate the congressman but fails. However, that action is enough to change the future and save the world.

To be clear, King is not calling for anything like what his protagonist does in The Dead Zone. Like many others, he's urging Congress to wield its power and act as a check against the president in hopes that the U.S. can avoid catastrophe.

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