Stephen King uses 'Misery' comparison to roast Trump on Threads

"Think of it this way..."
 By 
Sam Haysom
 on 
An older man stands on a red carpet.
Credit: Mathew Tsang/Getty Images

Stephen King already has a whole book that basically predicted the rise of Donald Trump (see The Dead Zone), but now he's using one of his other novels to talk about the president's recent actions.

Posting on Threads (where the horror author is now more active than X), King used his 1987 book Misery to analyse the current state of the U.S. economy.

"Think of it this way," he wrote. "Paul Sheldon is the American economy. Donald Trump is his number one fan."


You May Also Like

If you haven't read Misery, Paul Sheldon is the protagonist of the story. He's an author who gets rescued from a car crash — and then imprisoned — by a sadistic nurse called Annie Wilkes, who describes herself as his "number one fan".

King's analogy suggests that Trump is not only obsessed with the U.S. economy, but also — possibly through his tariffs — that he's holding it hostage, and subsequently hurting it a great deal.

Mashable Image
Sam Haysom

Sam Haysom is the Deputy UK Editor for Mashable. He covers entertainment and online culture, and writes horror fiction in his spare time.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Jimmy Kimmel uses a 10-year-old tweet to roast Trump
A man in a suit stands on a talk show stage. An old tweet from Donald Trump is visible at the bottom of the screen.

Stephen Colbert gleefully mocks Trump's record-setting low Kennedy Center Honors ratings
Stephen Colbert on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.'

Stephen Colbert torches CBS during monologue on Trump's billion-dollar peace board
Stephen Colbert presents The Late Show.

Stephen Colbert roasts Trump over low State of the Union ratings
A man in a suit on a talk show stage points and winks at the camera. The caption at the bottom reads, "If I were CBS, I'd cancel him."


More in Life
How to watch Chelsea vs. Port Vale online for free
Alejandro Garnacho of Chelsea reacts

How to watch 'Wuthering Heights' at home: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi's controversial romance now streaming
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi embracing in still from "Wuthering Heights"

How to watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers online for free
Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders warms up

How to watch Mexico vs. Belgium online for free
Israel Reyes of Mexico reacts

How to watch Brazil vs. Croatia online for free
Vinicius Junior #10 of Brazil leaves

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

What's new to streaming this week? (April 3, 2026)
A composite of images from film and TV streaming this week.


NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!