On Friday, Donald Trump defended Laura Loomer After some of the former president’s closest allies this week raised concern about his relationship with a far-right activist.
“Laura has been my supporter. As many people are supporters, he was also my supporter. He speaks very positively about the campaign. I’m not sure why you’re asking that question,” Trump told reporters at a news conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have criticized Loomer, who has appeared alongside Trump multiple times this week, including at a 9/11 memorial event, for promoting baseless and inflammatory statements about immigrants on his social media accounts. In response to Loomer’s criticisms, Sens. Lindsey Graham, RN.C., Thom Tillis, RN.C. and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.
“I don’t control Laura. Laura – she is a free spirit. Well, I don’t know. I mean, look, I can’t tell Laura what to do,” Trump added on Friday.
Loomer’s relationship with Trump has been in the spotlight since the former president floated a conspiracy theory about immigrants eating pets during a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
Immediately following the press conference, NBC News asked Trump if he was aware of Loomer’s conspiracy theories.
“I don’t know much about it. No, no,” he said, adding: “I know he’s a big fan of the campaign, but I really don’t know.”
Asked what Loomer brought to the campaign, Trump said: “Well, he brings us a spirit that a lot of people have, we have a lot of spirited people. And in all fairness, he hates to see what’s happening to the country.”
Loomer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s announcement Friday. Representatives for the Trump and Harris campaigns also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A baseless theory denied by city officials and police, It originated on the Internet and spread among far-right circles.
Several of Loomer’s social media posts this week have come under fire, including a post in which he nodded to conspiracy theories about the 9/11 attacks.
“After 23 years, there are still a lot of unanswered questions,” Loomer said published on FridayAlong with a 2001 video of Trump questioning whether airplanes caused explosions like those in the Twin Towers on 9/11.
In another post, Loomer claimed that if Harris wins the presidential election, “the White House will smell like curry and White House speeches will be facilitated through a call center.”
The revelation drew condemnation from Greene, who called the comment “appalling and extremely racist”.
Immediately following the press conference, NBC News asked Trump if he was aware of Loomer’s conspiracy theories.
“I don’t know much about it. No, no,” he said, adding: “I know he’s a big fan of the campaign, but I really don’t know.”
Asked what Loomer brought to the campaign, Trump said: “Well, he brings us a spirit that a lot of people have, we have a lot of spirited people. And in all fairness, he hates to see what’s happening to the country.”
“No leader should ever associate with someone who spews this kind of filth, this kind of racist venom,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing in Loomer on Thursday.