Stephen King and the Politics of Denial: How Celebrity Rhetoric Weakens the Foundations of American Prosperity

By The Craig Bushon Show Media Team

Stephen King, the world-renowned author of horror fiction, has entered the political conversation once again—this time predicting that, decades from now, Trump supporters will deny ever voting for him. He imagines a future where Americans disown their political choices as if they were guilty secrets. This is commentary from a novelist, but it is also an example of how cultural elites use language to reshape public memory and frame entire movements as illegitimate.

What King may not realize—or perhaps chooses to ignore—is that rhetoric like his has consequences beyond partisan sparring. It is part of a wider campaign that erodes the foundations of American prosperity: trust in democratic choice, respect for working-class citizens, and the shared values that make up the American story. When public figures with massive platforms dismiss tens of millions of Americans as people who will someday be too ashamed to admit their votes, they are not merely expressing an opinion. They are undermining the dignity of citizens and contributing to a climate of cultural hostility that divides the nation more deeply than policy debates ever could.

Let’s break down why King’s statements are significant, how elites use similar rhetoric to marginalize ordinary citizens, and why treating voter choice as illegitimate damages the foundations of our nation’s prosperity.

Words shape perception, and perception shapes reality. When a celebrity like Stephen King speaks, his words are amplified through headlines, social media, and television soundbites. Millions who will never read a single policy paper or attend a political rally will still hear his opinion. That is the cultural power of fame.

In a healthy democracy, public debate sharpens ideas, challenges policies, and encourages compromise. When rhetoric shifts from debating issues to demeaning voters themselves, it corrodes civic trust. Instead of disagreeing with a candidate’s policies, critics now ridicule the moral character of those who voted for him. That kind of rhetoric steadily chips away at the ability of citizens to believe their voices matter.

King’s claim that Trump supporters will deny their votes in the future is more than speculation. It is an attempt to write a narrative in advance, one where millions of Americans are cast as people who cannot stand by their convictions. This says less about the future and more about the disdain cultural elites have for a movement they cannot understand.

It also dismisses the real reasons voters supported Trump. These reasons included economic renewal by bringing jobs back to American soil, renegotiating trade deals, and protecting industries left vulnerable by globalization. Energy independence policies that lowered gas prices and reduced reliance on unstable foreign suppliers. Border security enforcement that addressed illegal immigration, human trafficking, and the strain on public services. Judicial appointments that reshaped the courts toward constitutional interpretation rather than judicial activism. And foreign policy that recalibrated alliances, required greater responsibility from partners, and confronted adversaries with strength.

When elites claim voters will one day deny these choices, they are refusing to acknowledge that these policies mattered to real people living in struggling communities.

King is not alone. Over the past decade, countless celebrities, late-night hosts, and media personalities have mocked or vilified Trump voters. These cultural attacks go far beyond policy—they question the intelligence, morality, and decency of ordinary Americans.

The message is clear: if you supported Trump, you are backward, hateful, or ignorant. This message is repeated until it becomes a cultural assumption in elite circles. But such rhetoric has long-term effects. It drives wedges between citizens, fosters resentment, and turns disagreement into contempt.

Prosperity is not built on contempt. It is built on shared purpose. If one half of the country is told that their votes are shameful, how can they trust that the system values their voice? This erosion of trust is what truly threatens the future of America, not the voting record of any single citizen.

History shows that national prosperity depends on both economic strength and cultural cohesion. A divided people cannot sustain prosperity for long because internal conflict consumes the energy needed for growth.

When rhetoric like King’s dismisses tens of millions of citizens, it contributes to division that undermines prosperity in three key ways. It undermines trust in democratic choice. If voters believe their decisions will be delegitimized by cultural elites, they lose faith in the ballot box as a tool of change. It erodes civic unity. When half the nation is branded as morally defective, unity becomes impossible. Prosperity requires cooperation across states, industries, and political divides. Without respect, cooperation collapses. And it shifts focus away from solutions. By mocking voters rather than debating policies, elites prevent meaningful conversations about how to solve real problems like inflation, job loss, healthcare, and crime. This leaves communities with fewer answers and greater frustration.

King’s comparison of U.S. immigration enforcement under Trump to a “gestapo-like” force reveals the danger of exaggerated rhetoric. Immigration enforcement is a lawful responsibility of any sovereign nation. Comparing it to secret police that carried out mass atrocities in Nazi Germany is inaccurate and inflames division.

For families living in border states, immigration policy is not abstract. They experience the strain on hospitals, schools, and law enforcement. They witness human trafficking, cartel violence, and fentanyl crises. To dismiss their reality by demonizing enforcement agents as a “gestapo” delegitimizes their lived experience. Such rhetoric widens the gap between cultural elites and working Americans, deepening the sense of abandonment that fueled Trump’s rise in the first place.

American prosperity is rooted in several interdependent foundations: free and fair elections where every vote matters, an economy that rewards hard work and innovation, a culture that respects diverse opinions and encourages debate, and a shared sense of national purpose.

When rhetoric undermines these foundations, prosperity becomes fragile. Dismissing voters as shameful weakens electoral trust. Mocking their struggles blocks economic reform. Demonizing their choices undermines civic respect. The damage is cumulative.

Words do not exist in a vacuum—they influence policy. When elites consistently portray a movement as illegitimate, policymakers feel less pressure to listen to those voters. Their needs are ignored in favor of special interests and fashionable causes.

This has happened before. For decades, American manufacturing workers warned that globalization and trade deals were gutting their communities. Instead of listening, elites mocked them as resistant to progress. The result was the hollowing out of towns, the opioid crisis, and a generation of lost prosperity.

When Stephen King dismisses Trump voters, he participates in the same cycle: mocking citizens rather than listening to their grievances. This ensures that the policies they need—stronger borders, energy independence, fair trade—are delayed or dismissed. Prosperity suffers as a result.

America has always had elites—business leaders, intellectuals, artists. When elites use their influence responsibly, they elevate the nation, inspiring new ideas and fostering unity. But when they use their platforms to stigmatize entire groups of citizens, they accelerate decline.

Stephen King’s comments are a small piece of a larger cultural trend: elites treating ordinary voters as obstacles to progress rather than partners in democracy. This mindset erodes the social contract and threatens the stability that prosperity requires.

The American people are not confused about their votes. They understand why they chose Trump. They wanted policies that put their families first, their communities first, and their nation first. These are not shameful desires. They are the same desires that fueled American prosperity for generations.

Ordinary Americans also know that prosperity is not guaranteed. It must be defended against both external threats and internal decay. Rhetoric that divides citizens into “enlightened” and “ashamed” camps weakens the ability to defend prosperity.

If America is to remain prosperous, it must reject the kind of rhetoric exemplified by Stephen King’s prediction. Instead of mocking voters, leaders—whether political, cultural, or artistic—should work to understand them. Instead of predicting shame, they should promote respect.

The path forward includes restoring respect for democratic choice, where every vote is treated as valid and worthy of respect, regardless of political affiliation. It includes elevating policy over mockery so public debate focuses on solving problems, not belittling voters. It requires rebuilding a shared national purpose, where cultural leaders use their platforms to emphasize unity rather than division. And it demands defending the foundations of prosperity: free enterprise, secure borders, strong families, and respect for the Constitution.

Stephen King’s prediction that Americans will deny voting for Trump is harmful because it reflects a broader cultural trend where elites delegitimize the choices of ordinary citizens, deepening division and undermining prosperity.

American prosperity depends on respect: respect for democratic choice, for differing opinions, and for the shared values that unite us. When rhetoric erodes this respect, prosperity falters.

The Craig Bushon Show Media Team stands for the truth that millions of Americans are not ashamed of their votes, nor will they deny them. They will defend them as part of a larger commitment to restoring prosperity, unity, and purpose to this nation.

The attacks on voter dignity from cultural elites like Stephen King highlight exactly why the Amer-I-Can movement is so vital for the future of the Republic. Our nation cannot thrive if half its people are told their voices are illegitimate. Prosperity requires participation, and participation requires respect.

The Amer-I-Can movement calls every citizen back to first principles: liberty as a birthright, accountability in government, and unity in national purpose. It reminds us that the Republic survives only when its people are unafraid to stand openly for their convictions. By rallying Americans around the oath of citizenship, faith in God, and a commitment to defend freedom for future generations, the Amer-I-Can movement offers the antidote to the corrosive rhetoric that divides us.

This is more than politics. It is about renewing the cultural foundation that sustains our prosperity. It is about building a future where no American feels ashamed to say, “I stood for liberty, I defended my country, I honored the Republic.”

That is why the Amer-I-Can movement is not only important—it is essential for America’s survival as a free and prosperous nation.

I Can, You Can, We Can — Amer-I-Can.

For more information on how to get involved with Amer-I-Can, visit www.myamericanoath.com.