Laura Loomer’s proximity to Trump draws backlash

Far-right activist Laura Loomer’s visible presence alongside former President Trump in recent days is sparking questions about her influence and a substantial amount of criticism from figures aligned with the GOP presidential nominee.

Loomer is an outspoken Trump supporter who is known for spreading conspiracy theories and using racist rhetoric. She flew on Trump’s plane to Tuesday’s debate in Philadelphia and was part of his entourage as he attended memorial events Wednesday to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

She does not have any official role with Trump’s campaign, multiple sources said.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a staunch Trump ally, engaged in a heated and personal social media battle with Loomer over social platform X that began Wednesday night and carried into Thursday.

Greene separately told reporters it would be a mistake to rely on Loomer for advice and that her rhetoric did not fit in with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.

“This is such an important election. I don’t think that she has the experience or the right mentality to advise,” Greene told reporters Wednesday, adding she was not privy to Trump’s conversations with Loomer.

“I do know this, that her rhetoric and her tone does not match the base, it does not match MAGA, it does not match most Republicans I know,” Greene continued. “And I’m really denouncing it. I’m over it.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a strong ally of Trump in the Senate, on Thursday called out Loomer for racist comments about Vice President Harris, in which she used crude stereotypes to attack Harris’s Indian heritage. The remarks were also criticized by Greene.

Graham said the remarks were “abhorrent” and noted Loomer also has made “disturbing” comments about Republicans.

“I think that the president would serve himself well to make sure this doesn’t become a bigger story,” Graham told HuffPost.

Loomer was spotted deplaning with Trump aides and family members Tuesday in Philadelphia ahead of the debate between the GOP nominee and Harris, and she was in the spin room that night.

Some conservatives took note that Loomer was on the former president’s plane before the debate, during which Trump repeated a debunked claim shared by Loomer and others about migrants eating pets in an Ohio town.

Loomer was again spotted with Trump’s crew when he visited a fire station in New York City to mark the anniversary of 9/11, and she posted video from his visit to Shanksville, Pa., where Flight 93 crashed.

When asked about Loomer’s presence at Wednesday’s events, a Trump campaign official said the day “wasn’t about anyone other than the souls who are no longer with us, their families, and the heroes who courageously stepped up to save their fellow Americans on that fateful day.” Trump attended a New York City memorial alongside President Biden and Harris that morning.

Loomer was defiant Thursday as she found herself at the center of multiple articles and cable news segments. She said she does not work for Trump and claimed she was being targeted because of her work targeting politicians and media members.

“I stand by everything I have said. I will not be deleting any tweets. I will not apologize for fighting for Donald Trump. I will not apologize for fighting for the truth and the American people,” Loomer posted on X.

“The American people deserve people who fight instead of cowering in fear of the media,” she continued. “I don’t care about what they or any sellout member of Congress has to say about me.”

This week was not the first time Trump has signaled he’s open to Loomer’s presence in his orbit. He congratulated her after she won a Florida House primary in 2020. Last year, Trump reportedly told advisers to give Loomer a campaign role for his White House bid. She ultimately did not join the campaign in any official capacity.

Loomer has previously described Islam as a “cancer.” She was banned from ride-hailing apps Uber and Lyft in 2017 after posting online that she “never want[s] to support another Islamic immigrant driver.” She was banned from then-Twitter after a series of anti-Muslim posts and was reinstated after Elon Musk purchased the platform.

Democrats, including the White House, blasted Loomer’s recent comments and argued Trump’s association with her should be a red flag for the American people.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Thursday ripped Trump as a “conspiracy theory-peddling, racial arsonist and pathological liar.” He said Trump’s willingness to bring a conspiracy theorist like Loomer to a 9/11 event “should shock the conscience of all decent Americans.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called Loomer’s most recent comments about Harris “repugnant” and “un-American.”

“No leader should ever associate with someone who spreads this kind of ugliness. This kind of racist poison … and who continues to fan these kinds of dangerous and insulting conspiracy theories,” she said.