Donald Trump Jr. downplayed the actions of a 17-year-old teenager who has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The eldest child of President Trump was asked about Kyle Rittenhouse in an interview with Extra’s Rachel Lindsay to promote his new book, Liberal Privilege: Joe Biden and the Democrats’ Defense of the Indefensible.
“We’re not jumping to a conclusion. … If I put myself in Kyle Rittenhouse[‘s shoes], maybe I shouldn’t have been there. He’s a young kid. I don’t want young kids running around the streets with AR-15s. … Maybe I wouldn’t have put myself in that situation — who knows? We all do stupid things at 17,” he said.
Trump Jr. made the comment after being asked why his father’s administration has not denounced Rittenhouse. “We’re waiting for due process,” he said.
Last month, Rittenhouse traveled across state lines, from Illinois to Wisconsin, to help defend stores that had been the target of violence in the days since a local law enforcement officer shot a black man, Jacob Blake, in the back several times and is now paralyzed from the waist down. In the chaos that ensued, multiple people were shot, including two who were killed and another person who was injured.
Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree reckless homicide, two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and possession of a dangerous weapon regarding the deaths of Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph “Jojo” Rosenbaum, 36.
His lawyers argue that he was acting in self-defense. Rittenhouse remains in custody in Illinois, pending an extradition to Wisconsin. A judge delayed an extradition hearing until Sept. 25.
Trump Jr. and Lindsay also discussed both the Black Lives Matter movement and the Blake shooting.
“The phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ is obvious. No one in America says anything else,” he said, which garnered pushback from Lindsay. He added, “No one that I know. No one that I know.”
He also said that he “agree[s] with” the message of the Black Lives Matter movement and added, “It’s a very good marketing message. It’s a great catchphrase, but that doesn’t back up a lot of the political ideology behind it.”
President Trump has similarly declined to condemn Rittenhouse’s actions.
