Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), former President Trump’s running mate, said far-right media activist Laura Loomer is “not affiliated with the Trump campaign” when asked in a Sunday interview about Loomer’s recent comment attacking Vice President Harris using a racist stereotype invoking Harris’s Indian heritage.
“Look, Laura Loomer is not affiliated with the Trump campaign. She said something about curry in the White House that I first read about this morning actually, because I knew that you would ask me about it,” Vance said in an interview Sunday on NBC News’s “Meet the Press” with Kristen Welker, who also noted that Vance’s wife is Indian.
Vance also suggested that discussing Loomer’s remarks was a distraction from the campaign, and he said they ought to be talking about Harris and her policies.
“Look, Kristen, I make a mean chicken curry. I don’t think that it’s insulting for anybody to talk about their dietary preferences or what they want to do in the White House. I think what Laura said about Kamala Harris is not what we should be focused on. We should be focused on the policy and on the issues,” he said.
“So yeah, do I agree with what Laura Loomer said about Kamala Harris? No, I don’t. I also don’t think that this is actually an issue of national import. Is Laura Loomer running for president? No. Kamala Harris is running for president. And whether you’re eating curry at your dinner table or fried chicken, things have gotten more expensive thanks to her policies. Let’s talk about the person running for president of the United States, not a social media personality who supports Donald Trump,” he continued.
His comments come after Trump said Friday that he did not agree with previous statements Loomer made, though he didn’t specify any particular comment. He also described her as a “private citizen and a longtime supporter.”
Trump shrugged off a question earlier that day, saying, “Laura’s been a supporter of mine. She speaks positively of the campaign,” adding, “Laura is a supporter. I don’t control Laura; she’s a free spirit.”
Trump went on to call Loomer “a strong person” with “strong opinions,” and he said he would go look at some of her comments that have caused controversy.
Loomer — an outspoken Trump supporter who is known for spreading conspiracy theories and using racist rhetoric — 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 9/11.
She does not have any official role in Trump’s campaign, multiple sources said. But her association with the former president has prompted criticism, even by some of Trump’s loyal supporters, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).