Kyle Rittenhouse, who gained significant attention from the right after fatally shooting protesters in 2020, has announced that he will not be voting for Donald Trump in the upcoming election. “Many people are surprised that I intend to write in Ron Paul for President of the United States, but it’s true. I will be voting for Ron Paul,” the 21-year-old stated in a video posted on X, shortly after sharing a photo of himself with the former Texas congressman.
Rittenhouse cited Trump’s stance on the Second Amendment as the primary reason for his decision. “Unfortunately, Donald Trump had poor advisers, which led to him being weak on the Second Amendment. This is a critical issue for me,” Rittenhouse explained. “If a candidate is not uncompromisingly supportive of the Second Amendment, I cannot support them. We need unwavering champions for the Second Amendment to prevent our rights from being gradually eroded.”
In 2020, Rittenhouse shot three protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, resulting in two deaths. He was later acquitted of criminal charges related to the incident. Following his trial, Trump invited Rittenhouse to Mar-a-Lago, referring to him as a “nice young man” and acknowledging his support for Trump at the time.