Laura Loomer, a far-right political commentator and conspiracy theorist, recently found herself at the center of a media storm, denying rumors of an affair with former President Donald Trump in a fiery and expletive-laden rant. On her podcast, "Loomer Unleashed," the 31-year-old slammed the circulating gossip, calling it "disgusting" and "malicious," while also launching a pointed attack on Vice President Kamala Harris.
Loomer's tirade began as she vehemently denied any romantic involvement with Trump, dismissing the speculation as baseless lies spread by her critics. "It's so salacious, so disrespectful to both Donald and Melania Trump!" she exclaimed, clearly agitated by the rumors. "They've taken it so far!"
She continued her rant by comparing herself to Harris, alleging that the Vice President "slept her way to the top," a claim Loomer backed with inflammatory language. "Some of us women work hard! We don't have to sleep with politicians to climb the ladder," Loomer asserted, emphasizing her disdain for Harris with explicit remarks.
The controversy surrounding Loomer intensified following a viral photograph showing her gazing into Trump's eyes, which sparked further speculation about their relationship. The situation escalated when comedian Bill Maher joked on his HBO show "Real Time with Bill Maher" that Loomer was in an "arranged relationship" with Trump. Loomer responded with fury, threatening to sue Maher for defamation and accusing the media and political figures of orchestrating a character assassination campaign against her.
"I should sue Bill Maher for defamation. This is beyond the pale and a complete and blatant lie," Loomer tweeted, expressing her outrage over the suggestion that she was romantically involved with Trump. She described Maher's comments as part of a coordinated attack, aimed at discrediting her support for the former president. "This is unacceptable," Loomer wrote, "and it's a full-blown character assassination campaign."
Despite Loomer's denial, the association between her and Trump has caused unease among some of his prominent supporters. Concerns have arisen that her influence might damage Trump's prospects in the 2024 election. "His staff's embarrassed by it. Certainly, folks on Capitol Hill are embarrassed by her," said journalist Jonathan Martin on NBC's "Meet the Press." Martin highlighted the broader challenge for the Republican Party, emphasizing that it's not just about Loomer but about Trump's decisions and associations.
Trump, who has faced criticism for his proximity to Loomer, attempted to distance himself from the controversy on his social media platform, Truth Social. "Laura Loomer doesn't work for the Campaign. She's a private citizen and longtime supporter," Trump posted.
He acknowledged his disagreement with some of her statements but defended her as someone who, like many of his supporters, is frustrated by what he described as attacks from "Radical Left Marxists and Fascists."
The controversy took another twist when it was revealed that Loomer accompanied Trump to events marking the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks. This move surprised many, given Loomer's history of promoting 9/11 conspiracy theories.
Her presence alongside Trump at such a sensitive event further fueled the backlash, even among Trump's allies like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lindsey Graham, who warned that Loomer's influence could have detrimental effects on the Republican Party.
