It looks like some of Donald Trump’s devoted fans are beginning to lose faith in their candidate.
Gun rights activist and killer of human beings Kyle Rittenhouse announced Thursday that he would be writing in Ron Paul’s name on his ballot in November, shortly after posting that he’d had the “incredible pleasure” of meeting the former U.S. representative.
Hours later, Rittenhouse gave a video statement on X explaining his decision not to back Trump. “A lot of people are upset that I said I’m going to be writing in Ron Paul for president of the United States. And that is true, I will be writing in Ron Paul,” Rittenhouse said.
“Unfortunately, Donald Trump had bad advisers, making him bad on the Second Amendment, and that is my issue. If you cannot be completely uncompromisable on the Second Amendment, I will not vote for you, and I will write somebody else in. We need champions for the Second Amendment or our rights would be eaten away and eroded each day.”
Rittenhouse visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November 2021, shortly after he was acquitted of all charges for killing two people and seriously wounding another during the anti-racism and anti–police brutality protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, that summer. Rittenhouse “was a fan,” Trump gushed on Fox News afterward. Not anymore.
It seems Rittenhouse isn’t the only one feeling disappointed with Trump’s trajectory. The former president has also been receiving quite a bit of unsolicited advice from his followers on Truth Social.
Beneath a post Thursday night that celebrated the election of Tennessee state Senator Bobby Harshbarger, whom Trump had previously endorsed, Trump’s followers pleaded with him to change his approach to the presidential race, according to Raw Story.
Multiple Truth Social users begged Trump to lay off his personal attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Mr President I hope you are doing well I just want to say that you need not put kamela down as a person,” wrote user @stopeow. “Women hate that.”
Another user, @Th3ManyFacedGod, wrote, “You have to change the noise and start attacking Kamala Harris policy stances and not Kamala Harris the person!!!”
A third Truth Social user accused Trump of “blowing it.”
“Come on Trump. I love you, but STOP giving them ammunition!” wrote user @nanadof7. “Just say ‘who cares what she is? Is she qualified?’ I thought you were smarter than that but you’re acting like a dumbass. Don’t lose this election for us! Call Kelly Ann and listen to somebody smarter than you. You’re blowing it.”
Earlier this week, Trump took some particularly ugly shots at Harris, questioning her race and suggesting she hadn’t passed the bar exam, leaving Republican lawmakers “embarrassed” and “uncomfortable,” according to The Hill. Trump has since doubled down on his race-based attacks on Harris, signaling an unwillingness to change course.
