Who is Laura Loomer? Controversial Far-Right Activist Stirs Debate in Trump’s Inner Circle

Far-right activist Laura Loomer has been making headlines this week as she accompanies former President Donald Trump on the campaign trail. Despite her visible support and frequent presence by Trump’s side, the former president claimed on Friday that he is unaware of the conspiracy theories she promotes.

Loomer, known for her controversial views and conspiracy-laden statements, has been a prominent figure at Trump’s events. She was notably backstage at Tuesday’s presidential debate and traveled with Trump to New York and Pennsylvania the following day. Despite her active role in the campaign, Loomer insists she is not formally affiliated with Trump, stating, "I'm simply a ride or die supporter of President Trump. I don't want anything in return. I just want to see him win."

“I don't control Laura,” says Trump

Trump, when asked about Loomer during a press conference in California, described her as a “supporter” who is free to express her own views. “I don’t control Laura,” he said. “Laura has to say what she wants. She’s a free spirit.” He further claimed he wasn’t familiar with the conspiracy theories she espouses. In a post on his Truth Social platform later, Trump distanced himself from her statements, stating, “I disagree with the statements she made but, like the many millions of people who support me, she is tired of watching the Radical Left Marxists and Fascists violently attack and smear me.”

Here is what you need to know

Loomer has been criticized for her promotion of fringe theories and racist commentary. She has labeled the 9/11 attacks as an “inside job” and falsely suggested that President Biden was behind an assassination attempt against Trump in July. On social media, Loomer has also made racist comments against Indian-Americans by stating that if Kamala Harris were elected president, “the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center.”

It is worth mentioning that Vivek Ramaswamy, a prominent figure amongst Republicans, and JD Vance's wife, both are of Indian ethnicity. 

Her inflammatory rhetoric has drawn criticism from within the Republican Party. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene took to social media to denounce Loomer’s comments, writing, “This is appalling and extremely racist. It does not represent who we are as Republicans or MAGA. This does not represent President Trump. This type of behavior should not be tolerated ever. @LauraLoomer should take this down.”

As Loomer’s presence in Trump’s campaign continues to stir controversy, members of the GOP are expressing concern that it may signal a deeper embrace of conspiracy theories and divisive rhetoric.