Kyle Rittenhouse walked back his comments that he wasn’t going to vote for Republican nominee Donald J. Trump after being scorched by the backlash.
The 21-year-old who became a national figure after he shot three left-wing thugs who tried to kill him during a fiery Black Lives Matter race riot in Kenosha, Wisc. in August 2020, posted a video to social media saying that he’d be voting for a write-in candidate like Ron Paul because “Trump was not pro-gun enough.”
Ron Paul is a retired Republican congressman from Texas and the father of Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.
“Hi, I’m Kyle Rittenhouse, outreach director for Texas Gun Rights. A lot of people are upset that I said that I am going to be writing in Ron Paul for President of the United States, and that is true. I will be writing in Ron Paul,” the young man said in a video on X.
“Unfortunately, Donald Trump had bad advisors making him bad on the Second Amendment and that is my issue. If you can not be completely uncompromisable on the Second Amendment, I will not vote for you and I will write somebody else in,” Rittenhouse pledged. “We need champions for the Second Amendment or our rights will be eaten away and eroded each day. I support my decision and I have no takebacks.”
“You must stand by your principles,” he commented, adding “No compromise means no compromise.”
The video was slammed by members of the MAGA community who accused Rittenhouse of being disloyal, prompting him to reverse himself in another X post less than 12 hours later.
Over the past 12 hours, I’ve had a series of productive conversations with members of the Trump’s team and I am confident he will be the strong ally gun owners need to defend our Second Amendment rights.
My comments made last night were ill-informed and unproductive. I’m 100%…
— Kyle Rittenhouse (@ThisIsKyleR) August 2, 2024
“Over the past 12 hours, I’ve had a series of productive conversations with members of the Trump’s team and I am confident he will be the strong ally gun owners need to defend our Second Amendment rights,” he wrote on Friday. “My comments made last night were ill-informed and unproductive. I’m 100% behind Donald Trump and encourage every gun owner to join me in helping send him back to the White House.”
X users reacted to Rittenhouse’s clarification of his stance on the former president.
I was harder on you than anyone – but I can’t hold a grudge when a man apologizes.
Just remember, when it was political poison to take your side, Trump and MAGA was there for you during your lowest point.
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) August 2, 2024
Glad you came to your senses.
Trump 2024.
A vote for ANYONE else is a vote for gun-grabbing Kamala.
Don’t let anyone take advantage of you.
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 2, 2024
This is how we win the election and keep our rights intact. Well done, Kyle.
— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) August 2, 2024
Thank you Kyle. You’re a bigger person than I gave you credit for. Welcome back.
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) August 2, 2024
Get away from your handlers and begin to make decisions for yourself.
This is a great start.
— Alexander Sheppard (@NotAlexSheppard) August 2, 2024
Good. I’ve been very hard on you today, as harsh as can be, because you needed it.
Stay with MAGA. That’s where you belong and you’ll continue to belong so long as you don’t say completely insane shit like you did yesterday.
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) August 2, 2024
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