Laura Loomer got her start as a “truth-telling” Right-wing activist by slipping into the background.
She used hidden cameras and microphones to try and record embarrassing conversations with “woke” university officials or else members of the Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Once describing herself as a “proud Islamophobe”, she was banned from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
These days, the 31-year-old is very much front-of-stage as an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, travelling on his private plane and showing up at events such as the 9/11 memorial ceremony.
In turn, Mr Trump has defended her presence, despite her history of making wild allegations – including the claim 9/11 was an “inside job” – and racist remarks about Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
The 78-year-old Mr Trump, who has frequently been photographed with his arm around Ms Loomer, has been warned of the potential danger of associating too closely with her by allies such as Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and Senator Lindsay Graham.
“This is such an important election. I don’t think that she has the experience or the right mentality to advise,” Ms Greene said.
“I do know this, that her rhetoric and her tone does not match the base, it does not match MAGA.”
The pair were attacked on social media in no uncertain terms by Ms Loomer for doing so.
Trump defends his ally Laura Loomer
On Friday, Mr Trump defended his association with her when she held a press conference in California.
“Laura’s been a supporter of mine. She speaks positively of the campaign,” Mr Trump said. “I don’t control Laura. She’s a free spirit.”
But Mr Trump later wrote on social media that he disagreed with the statement Ms Loomer had made about Ms Harris, appearing to distance himself from his cheerleader.
He added: “But, like the many millions of people who support me, she is tired of watching the Radical Left Marxists and Fascists violently attack and smear me, even to the point of doing anything to stop their Political Opponent, ME!”
Ms Loomer, writing on X, formerly Twitter, thanked someone who had applauded her activism.
“Thank you. I am a very tough person,” she wrote. “You can’t be involved in investigating political corruption unless you have tough skin.”
‘The White House will smell like curry’
Last weekend, Ms Loomer said if Ms Harris – who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage – won the election the “the White House will smell like curry”.
Mr Graham, the senator from South Carolina, denounced the remarks as “abhorrent”.
“But it’s deeper than that,” he said. “Some of the things she’s said about Republicans and others is disturbing.”
Asked about such comments, Mr Trump said: “She’s a strong person. She’s got strong opinions, and I don’t know what she said, but that’s not up to me. She’s a supporter.”
He added: “I do know that she may have said something based on what you’re telling me, but I don’t know what she said, but I’ll go take a look and I’ll put out a statement later on.”
Earlier this year the New York Times reported Ms Loomer was being hired by the Trump campaign, though it was strongly denied.
What appears certain is that Ms Loomer has become increasingly close to Mr Trump’s campaign, and was seen departing his plane when he landed in Philadelphia for Tuesday’s debate.
She was seen with other members of the campaign team and was in the media “spin room” afterwards.
Her presence comes just weeks after several former campaign staff from 2016 and 2020, have returned to his campaign team. Among them is former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, best known for telling colleagues: “Let Trump be Trump.”
Loomer insists 9/11 was an inside job
The day after the debate Ms Loomer, joined Mr Trump in New York and Pennsylvania as he and others commemorated the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks even though last year she had posted on social media that 9/11 was an “inside job”.
“HAPPENING NOW: President Trump just visited the Shanksville Fire Department after visiting the memorial site of United Flight 93 and meeting with family members of 9/11 terrorist attack victims in Shanksville, Pennsylvania,” she posted on X on Wednesday afternoon. “NEVER FORGET!”
Some of the 9/11 survivors and people who lost loved ones that day questioned her presence.
“It’s baffling to me that anyone within Trump’s orbit would believe the “inside job” theory when Trump himself declared that Saudi Arabia was responsible for the attacks of 9/11,” Sharon Premoli, who on the 80th floor of the North Tower when it was struck but somehow survived, told The Telegraph.
“If Laura Loomer has unambiguous and indisputable proof of this old conspiracy theory that has never been proven thus far, the public would like to see it.”
Ms Loomer has also posted false claims about Haitian migrants in Ohio eating family pets.
Mr Trump repeated the allegation himself during the debate, something that triggered alarm from his allies and led the moderators to say there was no evidence to support the claims.
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