Kyle Rittenhouse faced backlash from MAGA after supporting anti-Trump Republican Congressman Thomas Massie in one of the GOP's nastiest primary battles. Rittenhouse, a conservative activist, was once celebrated across pro-Trump media after being acquitted in the 2020 Kenosha shootings. But he suddenly found himself under attack from prominent MAGA influencers after campaigning for Massie ahead of Kentucky's high-stakes Republican primary on Tuesday.
The uproar came after Rittenhouse appeared at a 'day at the range' event in Burlington, Kentucky, where he enthusiastically endorsed the libertarian-minded congressman. 'Thomas Massie is the greatest congressman, I believe, in a very long time,' Rittenhouse told supporters at the event. Rittenhouse dismissed criticism aimed at the Kentucky Republican. 'He supported me from the beginning, and a lot of things that are being told about him are lies, not true,' he said.
But Donald Trump has made Massie one of his top political targets. The endorsement instantly placed Rittenhouse on a collision course with Trump and some of his most loyal online supporters. On Saturday, Trump blasted Massie on Truth Social as a 'disloyal, ungracious, and sanctimonious FOOL.'
The backlash against Rittenhouse online was immediate and brutal, with some MAGA personalities turning on the activist they once championed. 'Wow! Kyle Rittenhouse turned out to be a complete d*****bag, we should've left him to the liberal wolves in 2020!' wrote MAGA commentator Vince Langman on X. Rittenhouse responded by posting a screenshot of an older Langman post praising him as 'a true American hero.' He added: 'LOL.'
Other pro-Trump accounts piled on. 'Screw that pasty doughboy. His 5 minutes of fame are over,' one critic wrote online. 'He supports Massie says all you need to know.' Another user mocked Rittenhouse's failed attempts to join law enforcement. 'He was literally too low IQ to join the military or police. This kid is a loser,' a post read.
Some former Rittenhouse supporters openly announced they were abandoning him politically over the Massie endorsement. 'I was willing to cut Kyle Rittenhouse some slack when he came against Trump a couple of years ago about the Second Amendment but now that he is campaigning for Massie I'm done!' one person posted. Another joked: 'I canceled my Kyle Rittenhouse subscription after he came out in favor of Massie.'
Massie has become one of the most controversial Republicans inside Trump's orbit after repeatedly breaking with the president on key issues, including Trump's massive tax-and-spending package known as the 'One Big Beautiful Bill.' Massie has also pushed aggressively for the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files and criticized Trump's military action against Iran, moves that deepened tensions between the congressman and the president.
Trump has responded with a relentless public campaign against the Kentucky lawmaker, repeatedly blasting him on Truth Social and backing former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein in this week's Republican primary. 'Kentucky, get this LOSER out of politics in Tuesday's Election,' Trump wrote in one Truth Social post targeting Massie. The president has previously branded Massie a 'moron,' a 'nut job,' a 'third rate Grandstander,' and most recently a 'disloyal, ungracious, and sanctimonious FOOL.' Trump also threw his support behind Gallrein in dramatic terms.
Despite Trump's political assault, Massie has continued to attract support from some high-profile conservative figures - including Rittenhouse and Lauren Boebert. The political battle between Trump and Massie has evolved into one of the clearest tests yet of Trump's continued dominance over the Republican Party during his second term. Massie has framed the Kentucky primary as a referendum on whether the GOP can tolerate independent voices who refuse to fall fully in line behind Trump.
The congressman acknowledged the race has become the toughest reelection fight of his career. 'This is by far the most challenging reelection I've ever faced,' Massie said. Still, the Kentucky Republican attempted to downplay the long-term political damage from Trump's attacks. 'Once this race is over, I don't think there's any benefit to him attacking me,' Massie said. 'I'll have the antibodies from a natural infection.' After years of surviving internal Republican battles, Massie even joked about developing political immunity. 'This will be the booster shot,' he said.
