Laura Loomer’s presence in Donald Trump’s circle has become increasingly clear.
Former US President Donald Trump commemorated the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on Wednesday with memorial events in New York City and Pennsylvania. But his tributes were overshadowed by the presence of far-right extremist Laura Loomer, who has in the past spread conspiracy theories about the 2001 attacks and posted anti-Islam content on social media.
Loomer, who was banned from Twitter (now X) for her inflammatory posts before being reinstated by Elon Musk, had previously suggested that the September 11 attacks were an “inside job.”
When asked why Loomer was part of Trump’s entourage, a campaign official evaded the question, telling CNN that the day was “about the souls who are no longer with us, their families and the heroes who bravely rushed to save their fellow Americans on that fateful day.”
In a phone interview, Loomer defended her attendance at the memorial. “I don’t understand why I’m going to a 9/11 memorial,” she told CNN. “The people who greeted President Trump were happy to see me and thanked me for coming.” She added that she has never denied the role of Islamic terrorists in the attacks, reiterating her previous concerns about “Islamic terrorism in America.”
Laura Loomer’s presence in Donald Trump’s circle is becoming increasingly evident; she reportedly has access to his private phone number and regularly attends his events.
The controversial figure was also seen disembarking Trump’s private plane in Philadelphia ahead of his debate against Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Later that evening, Trump referenced an unsubstantiated rumor about Haitian migrants that Loomer had also spread online.
Some of her other provocative social media posts even preceded Trump’s own public statements, suggesting that she may have influenced his rhetoric.
This connection is consistent with Trump’s traditional support of conspiracy theorists, dating back to his promotion of the “Birther” conspiracy about the birthplace of former President Barack Obama.
Loomer’s potential influence on Trump was also recently demonstrated when Trump questioned Kamala Harris’s background in an interview, with some sources attributing these arguments to Loomer.
In her defense, Loomer told CNN, “I don’t think it’s racist to make fun of Kamala Harris pandering to every single group of people she meets and trying to convince them that she has the same identity as them.” However, she did not confirm whether she influenced Trump’s comments.
