Kyle Rittenhouse, who became a Republican poster boy after being acquitted of double murder in 2021, has lashed out at the National Rifle Association for not supporting him during his high-profile case or legal battles.
Speaking to Tucker Carlson on the former Fox News host's new show which is broadcast on X, formerly Twitter, Rittenhouse said he "didn't receive any help" from the NRA amid his trial or subsequent lawsuits despite gun rights and freedom to defend yourself being major issues surrounding the cases.
Rittenhouse was found not guilty of murder in a divisive trial after he shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber during a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020. Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, argued he was acting in self-defense while being attacked by an angry mob during the unrest which broke out in the wake of the police shooting of Black male Jacob Blake.
During the interview, Carlson asked Rittenhouse if the NRA had helped him during his legal cases seeing as the pro-gun lobbyist group is a "fairly well funded organization in this country designed to support" people in cases which involve the right to self-defense.
"I didn't receive any help from the NRA," Rittenhouse replied. "I know people who work with the NRA and they don't want to touch my case, they don't want to help with the civil lawsuits, they didn't want to help with the criminal lawsuits."
The NRA has been contacted for comment via email.
The estate of Rosenbaum is suing Rittenhouse over accusations he had "intentionally and unjustifiably" caused his death during the Kenosha shooting. John Huber, the father of Rittenhouse's other fatal shooting victim, is suing the 20-year-old over wrongful death claims.
Gaige Grosskreutz, who was injured after getting shot by Rittenhouse in Kenosha, is also suing him for emotional and physical damage. Rittenhouse has denied wrongdoing in connection to all three suits.
Carlson then asks Rittenhouse "how could that be?" that the NRA is not helping as the group has "taken money from its members for 100 years" to defend people like him. Rittenhouse used an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle to carry out the shootings in Kenosha.
"I have no idea. One of the organizations that did step up and help me is the National Association for Gun Rights," Rittenhouse replied.
"They really helped me with my legal bills and they helped pay some of the bills that I was facing because my family wasn't able to work. They really stepped up to the plate and they're continuing to help me to this day with some of my legal fees that I'm facing."
After he was found not guilty in November 2021, Rittenhouse became a prominent right-wing public and gun rights activist, frequently appearing on conservative media and major GOP events such as the Turning Point USA conference.
Rittenhouse is also due to publish a book detailing his version of events surrounding the Kenosha shooting, entitled Acquitted.
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About the writer
Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, domestic policy ... Read more
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