Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Sunday that there is "a lot to be upset about" after Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges brought against him for the August 2020 shootings in Kenosha, Wisconsin that killed two men and injured a third.
"Look, there’s a lot of pain in this country, and that pain and that frustration was aroused by the entire case, including the verdict. And for a lot of us, there’s just a lot to be upset about, a lot to be concerned about, but we’ll move forward as a country," Buttigieg told host Chuck Todd on NBC's "Meet the Press" when asked about the trial, which concluded Friday.
"The president continues to believe and this administration continues to believe in America and we’ve got to continue working to bring Americans together," he continued.
Buttigieg's comments about the trial mirror those of President Joe Biden, who said Friday that the verdict left himself and many other Americans "feeling angry and concerned" while acknowledging that "the jury has spoken."
"I ran on a promise to bring Americans together, because I believe that what unites us is far greater than what divides us," Biden said in a statement. "I know that we’re not going to heal our country’s wounds overnight, but I remain steadfast in my commitment to do everything in my power to ensure that every American is treated equally, with fairness and dignity, under the law."
"I urge everyone to express their views peacefully, consistent with the rule of law," he continued. "Violence and destruction of property have no place in our democracy."
Vice President Kamala Harris also spoke on the trial at its conclusion, saying Friday that the verdict "speaks for itself" and that "there’s still a lot more work to do."