(Rancho Palos Verdes) Donald Trump on Friday refused to condemn recent racist comments by far-right provocateur Laura Loomer, who accompanied him to Tuesday night’s presidential debate and several events commemorating September 11, 2001.
“Laura supported me,” Mr. Trump said at a news conference near Los Angeles, where he was asked about concerns among his Republican allies about his close relationship with Ms.me Loomer, who has previously declared herself a “proud Islamophobe” and has a long history of promoting conspiratorial ideas.
Mr. Trump agreed that Mme Loomer has “strong opinions,” but insisted he was unaware of her recent comments, including a post on the social network X in which she played on racist stereotypes by writing that “the White House will smell like curry and speeches at the White House will be facilitated by a call center” if Democratic nominee, current Vice President Kamala Harris, wins the presidential election in November. Harris is the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants.
“I don’t control Laura. Laura can say whatever she wants. I can’t tell Laura what to do,” Trump told reporters, adding that “she hates to see what’s happened to the United States.”
PHOTO MATT ROURKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Laura Loomer
The appearances of Mme Loomer’s involvement in Mr Trump’s election campaign has alarmed some of the former president’s key supporters, who have publicly expressed concerns that it will hurt the billionaire’s chances of success against Mr Trump.me Harris, who has drawn enthusiasm from Democrats and put Mr. Trump on the defensive several times during the debate.
Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known for spreading conspiracy theories, called the curry post “appalling and extremely racist” and said it did not represent Donald Trump’s “MAGA” (“Make America Great Again”) movement.
For his part, Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina called Mr.me Loomer as a “crazy conspiracy theorist who regularly spouts disgusting rhetoric designed to divide Republicans,” adding that “a Democratic Party plant couldn’t do a better job of hurting President Trump’s chances of victory.”