Kyle Rittenhouse responds to President Biden implying he's a white supremacist: ‘It's actual malice’
Kyle Rittenhouse appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight, Monday, where he gave his first televised interview since being acquitted on all charges stemming from shooting three protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2020. The incident occurred shortly after the police shooting of Black motorist Jacob Blake, when Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, fatally shot protesters Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, as well as wounding Gaige Grosskreutz. Since then, Rittenhouse has become a polarizing figure in the both social and political realms.
“This wasn't a political case,” Rittenhouse said. “It shouldn't have been a political case. It was made a political case. This had nothing to do with race. And the ways people are twisting this, it's just sickening.”
During his campaign, Biden tweeted about then-president Trump not disavowing white supremacists and shared a video which featured Rittenhouse.
Tucker Carlson asked him, “What did you make of the president of the United States calling you a white supremacist?”
Rittenhouse replied, “Mr. President, if I would say one thing to you, I would urge you to go back and watch the trial, and understand the facts before you make a statement.”
Carlson followed up with the question, “That's not a small thing to be called that?”
Rittenhouse replied,“No, it's actual malice, defaming my character for him to say something like that.”
Rittenhouse’s attorney Mark Richards has blasted left leaning news sites like CNN and MSNBC as well conservative politicians looking to profit off his client. And several legal analysts think Rittenhouse has grounds for a potential defamation suit against President Biden.
Carlson asked if he plans to “hold some of these liars to account.”
“I have really good lawyers who are taking care of that right now,” Rittenhouse said. “So I’m hoping one day there will be some — there will be accountability for their actions that they did.”
Video Transcript
KYLE RITTENHOUSE: This wasn't a political case. It shouldn't have been a political case. It was made a political case. This had nothing to do with race. And the ways people are twisting this, it's just sickening.
KYLIE MAR: On Monday, Kyle Rittenhouse appeared on "Tucker Carlson Tonight," where he discussed being found not guilty on charges related to the fatal shooting of two men during civil protests surrounding the police shooting of Jacob Blake. And one of the interview topics was President Biden's depiction of him.
TUCKER CARLSON: What did you make of the President of the United States calling you a white supremacist?
KYLE RITTENHOUSE: Mr. President, if I could say one thing to you, I would urge you to go back and watch the trial and understand the facts before you make a statement.
KYLIE MAR: During his campaign, Biden tweeted about then-president Trump not disavowing white supremacists and shared a video which featured Rittenhouse.
TUCKER CARLSON: That's not a small thing to be called that.
KYLE RITTENHOUSE: No, it's actual malice defaming my character for him to say something like that.
KYLIE MAR: Rittenhouse is aware that his case is a reflection of the political schism in America, but insists he is not who either the left or right are claiming he is.
KYLE RITTENHOUSE: How polarized it became is absolutely sickening, like right or left people using me for a cause that should never have been used as a cause.
KYLIE MAR: Rittenhouse's attorney Mark Richards has blasted left leaning news sites like CNN and MSNBC, as well as conservative politicians looking to profit off his client. And legal analysts think Rittenhouse has grounds for a potential defamation suit against President Biden. While Rittenhouse wouldn't comment on any potential defamation suits, he does hope to hold the spreaders of misinformation about him accountable.
KYLE RITTENHOUSE: I have really good lawyers who are taking care of that right now. So I'm hoping one day there will be some-- there will be accountability for their actions that they did.
