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Does Kyle Rittenhouse deserve pardon? Trump defends shooter, Internet says he'll invite teen to White House next

Trump defended the Kenosha shooter saying he 'probably would have been killed' by the mob had he not fired, but many people begged to differ

In an unexpected turn of events, President Donald Trump reportedly defended the actions of Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse saying the 17-year-old "probably would have been killed" by an angry mob if he had not fired.

Addressing a White House Press Conference on August 31, POTUS said, "That was an interesting situation. You saw the same tape as I saw. He (Rittenhouse) was trying to get away from them, I guess it looks like. And he fell. And then they (protesters) very violently attacked him. And it was something we are looking at right now, and it is under investigation." Trump continued, "I guess he (Rittenhouse) was in very big trouble. He probably would have been killed."

Journalist Aaron Rupar tweeted the video writing, "REPORTER: Do you want to take this opportunity to condemn your supporters who were shooting paintball guns in Portland? TRUMP: These people, they protested peacefully." He further wrote, "Trump defends Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old supporter of his who is charged with murdering two protesters in Kenosha."

In August, large protests were followed by unrest and violence in cities after Rittenhouse, an Antioch, Illinois, resident, showed up with an AR-15-style rifle, shooting three, of whom two died. As per CBS News, the teenager is charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree homicide and one count of attempted homicide. It further reported that Rittenhouse's attorney has decried the charges stating: "This young boy was not only attacked on the streets of Kenosha, he's been attacked in the media and social media all over the damn world. It is wrong. He is a 17-year-old boy. He was not there to create trouble, but he found himself with his life threatened and he had the right to protect himself with self-defense and now he finds himself accused of murder."

POTUS' controversial stand sparked an online debate on whether Rittenhouse should be pardoned. Infuriated users feared that POTUS might pardon the teenage shooter if he is re-elected. Some went as far as saying that maybe Trump will even invite the shooter to the White House. On the contrary, others called him a "patriotic hero" and wanted pardon for the teenager. A user said, “I already know that if Trump is re-elected, he will pardon this white supremacist terrorist Kyle Rittenhouse."

Another concurred, “It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Trump will pardon Kyle Rittenhouse.” 

Others were of the view that Rittenhouse won't be pardoned by Trump unless he is indicted on federal weapons charges.

Some enraged users said Trump might invite him to the White House. "Next Trump will invite Kyle Rittenhouse to the WH so trump can recognize Rittenhouse as a hero & give Rittenhouse some kind of honorific or maybe pardon Rittenhouse."

Others are imagining how Trump's presidency will be like if he gets re-elected and pardons the shooter. "Have we all processed how we're going to feel when Trump pardons Kyle Rittenhouse during his second term.”

Some people showed distrust over the investigation into the Kenosha shooting case after Trump’s stand. "Trump setting the stage to pardon Kyle Rittenhouse in his next term. Their support for a murderer suggests a distrust of investigators they claim to love and a commitment to falsity. We're warned by Trump supporters of evil because they're so often the harbingers of it."

Another said, “Trump please pardon Kyle Rittenhouse the patriotic hero."

Some came in support of POTUS and alleged that Rittenhouse deserves a pardon as he has no past criminal record. "Trump, I really don't like you that much, I will say this though. Kyle Rittenhouse deserves a presidential pardon. No criminal record, 17 years old and potentially facing the rest of his life behind bars for defending himself. PARDON HIM."