Why Is Kyle Rittenhouse's Lawyer Slamming Donald Trump Jr.?

Kyle Rittenhouse's lawyer lashed out at Donald Trump Jr. and Republican members of Congress for trying to profit off the teenager's acquittal. Newsweek reported on November 19 that Rittenhouse was acquitted of the charges against him for shooting three people, killing two, and injuring the third during 2020 protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The jury acquitted Rittenhouse of all charges after his defense team argued that the teenager had acted in self-defense. Mark Richards, Rittenhouse's defense attorney, told Insider he thought it was "disgusting" that some high-profile Republicans are trying to use the 18-year-old's acquittal to raise money for their campaigns.

Richards said, "There's a lot of people trying to profit on this, and I don't think people should." The criminal defense attorney continued, "They're raising money on it and you have all these Republican congressmen saying come work for me. They want to trade on his celebrity and I think it's disgusting." Congressman Paul Gosar tweeted after the Rittenhouse verdict, "Justice was served for #KyleRittenhouse and he is fully exonerated. As I said last year, obviously self-defense. I will arm wrestle @mattgaetz to get dibs for Kyle as an intern." Newsweek reported that GOP congressmen Matt Gaetz and Madison Cawthorn offered Rittenhouse internships.

But Rittenhouse's lawyer Richards had choice words specifically for the son of Donald Trump.

Mark Richards, Kyle Rittenhouse's defense attorney, slammed Donald Trump Jr. during an interview. "He's an idiot," Richards told Insider. "I don't have to expand on that because it speaks for itself." Richards called out Don Jr. for encouraging people to get behind Gun Owners of America, offering Rittenhouse an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle for his "defense of gun rights."

After the Rittenhouse verdict, Trump Jr. tweeted, "Gun Owners of America is sending Kyle Rittenhouse an AR-15. Sign the card in support of Kyle. Americans have a fundamental right to defend themselves, and to keep and bear arms. The verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial is a recognition of those rights." The former president's son later deleted the tweet, per Insider. But the Rittenhouse defense attorney had more to say about the trial after his harsh words for Trump Jr. and other Republicans. Richards expressed his displeasure with Fox News embedding with the Rittenhouse team during the trial.

Rittenhouse's defense attorney said he did not approve of the Fox News crew filming behind-the-scenes with Rittenhouse during the trial. Richards talked to CNN about Tucker Carlson's November 22 interview with Rittenhouse and the Fox News documentary about the trial in December. "I threw them out of the room several times," Richards told CNN. "I don't think a film crew is appropriate for something like this." The defense attorney added, "And I didn't approve of it. But I'm not always the boss."