Kyle Rittenhouse was met with a standing ovation and deafening cheers as he took to the firework-filled stage at the Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2021 event in Phoenix on Monday.
The 18-year-old waved to his adoring audience as he made his way onto the huge stage at the event on Monday night for a panel discussion on the 2020 Kenosha shootings last year.
Lavish pyrotechnics signaled Rittenhouse’s arrival, with loud rock music playing and deafening cheers erupting from the thousands of young conservatives who’d paid to see him, and who got on their feet to signal their approval.
Fox News reporter Elex Michaelson was among attendees, and tweeted: ‘Kyle Rittenhouse gets a rock-star reception at the Turning Point USA event in AZ.
During his AmericaFest panel appearance, Rittenhouse reflected on how the trial, which ended with his acquittal last month, matured him and the role his faith played in his experience.
‘It’s helped me grow a lot, it’s helped me mature,’ Rittenhouse told the crowd. ‘My mentors who have been in my life … they’ve helped make me the person I am today, so thank you for them.’
He shared how he leaned into prayer to help him get through the stressful trial and that he believes the Lord remains with him, even after he was acquitted of first-degree intentional homicide and four other felony charges.
‘I believe God’s been with me every day of the trial, every day since Aug. 25 … I pray to him every single night … I pray for strength to get through whatever happens to me.’
He was joined by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and conservative commentators Jack Posobiec, Elijah Schaffer and Drew Hernandez for a panel called ‘Kenosha on camera,’ which addressed the events of Aug. 25, 2020.
During the AmericaFest panel, the teen shared how he found strength and talked about his decision to take the stand to provide his account of the shootings.
‘I wanted to tell the world what happened in Kenosha, the truth, unlike what the prosecution tried to do, and that’s why I took the stand,’ he shared.
Kyle Rittenhoue full AmericaFest video here:
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