An old tweet by Joe Biden branding Kyle Rittenhouse a 'white supremacist' is likely to cause trouble for the US President as experts see a potential defamation suit. #SueBiden was also one of the top trending topics on Twitter following Rittenhouse's acquittal in the shooting case.
Rittenhouse had shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and injured Gaige Grosskreutz during the protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Aug. 25 last year. On Friday, the court acquitted him of all charges including homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangerment.
Biden's "White Supremacist" Tweet Was Made During Presidential Elections Campaign
Biden made the controversial tweet on Sept. 30, 2020 following a presidential debate with the former U.S. President Donald Trump. "There's no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night," the tweet read.
It was accompanied by a video which showed footage of White nationalists marching in Charlottesville, Virginia, and other images. It also included an image of Rittenhouse in which he is seen holding an AR-style rifle. It appeared from the same night he killed two protesters and wounded a third in Kenosha.
Speaking to Fox News Todd McMurtry, a lawyer said Rittenhouse could potentially have a defamation case against Biden for suggesting that the teenager was a White supremacist.
"What you take from that tweet is that Kyle Rittenhouse was using his rifle and engaging in White supremacist misconduct so it's actionable. Not necessarily going to win, but it's actionable," McMurtry told the outlet.
The New York Post reported that Biden was also lambasted for his "incorrect and untrue" statement by Rittenhouse's attorney Mark Richards. "I've never had a case, I don't think I ever will, where within two days or three days of one another, you know, the President and the presidential candidate comment on it. And both of them had such different beliefs," Richards said.
#SueBiden Trends on Social Media
Following the verdict in the case and Rittenhouse's acquittal, Biden issued a statement admitting that he was "angry and concerned."
White House released a statement on Friday in which the U.S. President admitted that the verdict in the trial "will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included," while adding that everyone "must acknowledge that the jury has spoken."
Soon #SueBiden started trending on social media. "So within just a few days after Kyle Rittenhouse had to shoot 3 guys in self defense in Kenosha, @JoeBiden publicly called Kyle Rittenhouse a white supremacist without having any proof of that! That's DEFAMATION of Character. RITTENHOUSE WILL SUE BIDEN & OTHERS AT @MSNBC & @CNN !" tweeted a user.
"Sue Biden's ass off! It's unbelievable that a Leader of the (AT THE MOMENT FREE WORLD) The President of the USA Can call an American young man a derogatory name, Kyle should sue for defamation of character & slander! Biden is a disgrace! Absolute Un-American Disgrace," read another tweet.
"I'm really looking forward to Kyle Rittenhouse suing you for defamation for calling him a "white supremacist". I'll back him financially in any way I can," expressed a user.
