COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Editor's note: This story was updated Monday to reflect Rittenhouse's plans to attend Blinn College before hoping to join Texas A&M in 2023.
Kyle Rittenhouse addressed his Texas A&M dreams on Monday and said he first wants to attend Blinn College to better prepare him for the future and hopes to join Texas A&M in 2023.
Texas A&M released a statement on Kyle Rittenhouse's announcement Friday that he wants to attend the university. "He has not been admitted as a student this fall," said Kelly Brown, who is Associate Vice President of Marketing & Communications with the university.
Rittenhouse announced Friday he will be attending Texas A&M University on the Charlie Kirk Show. Rittenhouse said he had made the decision after touring the college campus earlier this year and told Kirk going to the university would be an "amazing" experience.
"Kyle Rittenhouse is announcing he's an Aggie," Kirk said as Rittenhouse put on a Texas A&M hat.
"It's going to be awesome," Rittenhouse said. "Beautiful campus, amazing people, amazing food." Rittenhouse also told Kirk he is considering joining the Corps of Cadets. "I haven't decided yet, I may," Rittenhouse said.
Rittenhouse had been attending Arizona State University, but withdrew after he was acquitted in November of 2021 of homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangering after killing two men and wounding a third during the Kenosha protests in the summer of 2020. Rittenhouse said he acted in self-defense.
During the show Friday, Kirk asked Rittenhouse about the trial and said he thought Rittenhouse had to prove his innocence, rather than being innocent before proven guilty.
"It was prosecutorial overreach," Rittenhouse said. "We need to take away prosecutors' qualified immunity. He (Thomas Binger, Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney) needs to pay for what he did. It's disturbing that a government agency can do that."
As for what Rittenhouse will study at A&M, he said he hasn't made a decision on a major yet.
Rittenhouse posted pictures to his Twitter account on May 9 of his tour of A&M but said at the time he was considering other schools as well. Texas A&M said they could not comment on the matter at that time. However, in order to be considered for the Fall 2022 semester in College Station, Rittenhouse would have had to apply before 2022. For HECM, he would have had to apply from August 1, 2021 and March 1, 2022.
For Spring 2023 in College Station, Rittenhouse can apply between August 1, 2022 and October 15, 2022. For Fall 2023 in College Station, Rittenhouse can apply between August 1, 2022 and December 1, 2022.