CALIFORNIA: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Friday sought to distance himself from far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, whose presence on the campaign trail drew criticism from both Trump allies and the White House but stopped short of disavowing her.
In a statement released Friday, Trump said he disagreed with Loomer's earlier remarks but still appreciated her support. Trump made clear that she does not work for his campaign, even though Loomer traveled on his plane for much of the week.
Loomer, who has 1.2 million followers on X, previously suggested the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks were an inside job by sharing a video last year on X that promoted that conspiracy theory.
He has since changed his position and said: CNN In an interview published Thursday, the attacks were carried out by terrorists.
Earlier in the day, Trump was asked about Loomer during a news conference at his Southern California golf club.
“She’s a strong person, she has strong opinions,” Trump said, calling her a “free spirit.”
Later Friday, at a rally in Las Vegas, Trump said he had heard that his Democratic rival Kamala Harris had used a secret earpiece during their Tuesday debate in Philadelphia, a conspiracy theory Loomer has promoted on X.
Loomer appeared at Trump's debate on Tuesday and then in New York on Wednesday to commemorate the Sept. 11 attacks.
She sparked a fierce backlash when she posted on X earlier this week that if Harris, who is of Indian descent, were to win the Nov. 5 election, “the White House will smell like curry and White House speeches will be facilitated through a call center.”
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre denounced Loomer's comments as “racist venom” and criticized Trump for associating with her.
Several prominent Republicans who support Trump, including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Thom Tillis, also denounced Loomer after her comment about Harris.
Tillis wrote in X on Friday that Loomer “is a crazy conspiracy theorist who regularly spouts disgusting nonsense intended to divide Republicans.”
During Trump's press conference in California, Loomer was busy promoting her comments about X and making incendiary remarks about immigrants entering the US illegally.
She later posted: “I am a staunch supporter of President Trump.” In another post on Friday, she said Republicans attacking her were jealous that she had not been with Trump on his plane.
Loomer, a Floridian who twice ran unsuccessfully for Congress, has a long history of expressing Islamophobic sentiments. Her views led to her Twitter account being blocked, a decision that was reversed after Elon Musk bought the company, which was later renamed X.
