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By Kaitlin Lewis
Night Reporter
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Kyle Rittenhouse has taken back his previous presidential endorsement and is "100%" behind former President Donald Trump in November.
In less than 24 hours since releasing a video statement to X, formerly Twitter, about not voting for Trump over Second Amendment issues, Rittenhouse wrote in a new post Friday afternoon that his comments were "ill-informed" and that he encourages "every gun owner to join me in helping send" the former president back to the White House.
"Over the past 12 hours, I've had a series of productive conversations with members of Trump's team and I am confident he will be the strong ally gun owners need to defend our Second Amendment rights," Rittenhouse wrote.
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"My comments made last night were ill-informed and unproductive," he added. "I'm 100% behind Donald Trump and encourage every gun owner to join me in helping send him back to the White House."
Rittenhouse had said late Thursday evening that Trump "had bad advisors, making him bad on the Second Amendment." He said he instead planned to write in former Texas Congressman Ron Paul for president, and that he has "no takebacks."
The Context
Rittenhouse gained a backing from conservatives after he shot three people, including two fatally, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during a protest against police brutality in August 2020. He was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, among other counts, but was acquitted in fall 2021 after claiming self-defense. He was 17-years-old at the time.
Rittenhouse, now 21, has gone on to make several appearances at conservative events and media outlets and is an advocate for gun rights. In the same month that he was acquitted, he was invited to meet with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate, and the former president has said that Rittenhouse "should have never been" charged.
What We Know
Rittenhouse's video statement on Thursday was met with widespread outrage from MAGA supporters, who blasted Rittenhouse for being "disloyal" to the former president. One X user wrote in response to Rittenhouse's post, "I regret ever supporting Kyle. He's flat out lying about Trump ... Kyle chose to betray his nation and those that supported him. Sad! Going to be amusing when he tries to grovel back to Mar-a-Lago in a few months."
Pro-Trump internet personality Joey Mannarino also responded: "Just unfollowed you. If not for MAGA, you would be rotting in a prison bending over for Bubba. MAGA raised unbelievable sums of money for you. Trump welcomed you into his home. This is how you thank him and the MAGA movement after all those years of support?"
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A handful of users on X mocked Rittenhouse for switching up on his presidential endorsement so quickly. One user quipped that Rittenhouse "did not want to be Bud Lighted," referring to the conservative boycotts that hit beer giant Anheuser-Busch after its brand, Bud Light, partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Another account, which criticized Rittenhouse after his announcement about no longer supporting Trump, wrote in response to Rittenhouse's post Friday, "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," posted account @catturd2, which has over 2.7 million followers and often posts in support of the MAGA movement.
Newsweek reached out to Rittenhouse via social media for comment. An email was also sent to Trump's campaign.
Update 08/02/24, 6:25 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.
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