Kyle Rittenhouse has triggered controversy within the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement following his endorsement of Representative Thomas Massie. Massie, a Kentucky Republican, is known for his criticism of President Donald Trump.
Previously hailed by MAGA as a gun rights hero, Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges in 2021 after fatally shooting two people and injuring another during a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25, 2020. Rittenhouse announced on Friday that he supports Massie in the race for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, stating on X, “Volunteering for the greatest congressman.”
This endorsement has exposed divisions within the MAGA movement, which have been growing during Trump’s second term. Prominent MAGA figures like Tucker Carlson have distanced themselves from the movement over various issues, including U.S. and Israel’s actions against Iran and Trump administration policies.
Numerous MAGA supporters have criticized Rittenhouse. Vince Langman, a self-proclaimed MAGA supporter, expressed regret, saying, “Wow! Kyle Rittenhouse turned out to be a complete douchebag, we should’ve left him to the liberal wolves in 2020!” Similarly, an account named Catturd told its 4 million followers, “Remember when I warned everyone about him and everybody threw a fit years ago. It’s tiring being so right all the time.” YouTuber Joey Salads lamented, “We made the wrong people famouse [sic].”
Massie has previously clashed with Trump over issues like foreign policy and the Department of Justice’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump has called Massie a “loser” and a “disloyal, ungracious, and sanctimonious FOOL.”
Rittenhouse Breaks With Trump Over Gun Rights
Rittenhouse had already distanced himself from the MAGA movement before supporting Massie. In August 2024, he announced he would not support Trump’s presidential campaign, citing that the Republican was “bad on the Second Amendment.” This prompted accusations of “disloyalty” and being a “sellout” from MAGA supporters.
Earlier in the year, Rittenhouse was among gun rights activists criticizing the Trump administration’s stance on protester Alex Pretti, who was shot by federal immigration agents during a demonstration in Minneapolis. Although Trump criticized Pretti for carrying a gun to a protest, stating in The Wall Street Journal, “I don’t like any shooting…But I don’t like it when somebody goes into a protest and he’s got a very powerful, fully loaded gun with two magazines loaded up with bullets also.”
In response, Rittenhouse posted on social media, “Carry everywhere. It is your right. #ShallNotBeInfringed.” He addressed Trump’s comments about the type of gun Pretti had—a Sig Sauer P320 9mm pistol—remarking on X, “Trump just NUKED Sig…”
Trump and Massie’s Fallout
Trump and Massie have had a rocky relationship. Their initial clash occurred in March 2020, when Massie voted against a $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package. Trump criticized him as a “third rate Grandstander” and urged Republicans to “throw Massie out” of the party.
Despite moments of reconciliation, such as Massie’s endorsement of Trump’s 2024 campaign, their alliance has deteriorated during Trump’s second term. Key issues contributing to the split include the Trump administration’s handling of Epstein files, support for Israel, and military strikes against Iran.
Trump endorsed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein for the Republican primary for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, directly challenging Massie, who has represented the district since 2012 and is vying for an eighth term.