Republican congressional candidate Laura Loomer speaks at an election night event at the airport Hilton in West Palm Beach, August 18, 2020. © Allen Eyestone / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(New York, NY) – Far-right figure Laura Loomer has made several appearances with former President Donald Trump over the past week, causing unease among some GOP members. Loomer, who joined Trump on his plane to Philadelphia for the presidential debate and then accompanied him to events in New York and Pennsylvania marking the 9/11 anniversary, has stirred controversy with her past statements, including conspiracy theories about 9/11.
Trump has a history of connections with controversial figures, but recent criticism of Loomer from Republicans such as Senators Lindsey Graham and Thom Tillis, and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, highlights growing concern. Graham and Tillis have voiced that Loomer’s presence could harm Trump’s campaign, with Graham calling her “toxic” and Tillis labeling her a “crazy conspiracy theorist.” Greene, despite her own controversial views, condemned Loomer’s recent racist comments about Vice President Kamala Harris, which Loomer dismissed as a misunderstanding and defended as part of her “sense of humor.”
Loomer, a former congressional candidate known for anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric, has faced bans and reinstatements on social media platforms. Her controversial claims include alleging that President Biden was near death and casting doubt on the legitimacy of school shootings. Despite the backlash, Trump has defended Loomer on social media, asserting that she is a private supporter and not part of his campaign, though he has praised her and shared her posts in the past.
Loomer’s controversial presence continues to be a point of contention within the Republican Party.
