Donald Trump on Friday defended Laura Loomer after some of the former president's closest allies this week raised concerns about his relationship with the far-right activist.
“Laura has been a supporter of mine. Just like a lot of people are supporters, and she’s been a supporter of mine. She speaks very positively of the campaign. I’m not sure why you asked that question,” Trump told reporters at a press conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle blasted Loomer, who repeatedly appeared alongside Trump this week — including at a Sept. 11 memorial event — as she promoted baseless and inflammatory remarks about immigrants on her social media accounts. Loomer lashed out at Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., in response to their criticisms.
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“I don’t control Laura. Laura — she’s a, she’s 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 came under particular scrutiny after the former president mentioned a conspiracy theory about immigrants eating pets during a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
Loomer did not immediately return a request for comment about Trump's remark Friday. Representatives for the Trump and Harris campaigns also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The baseless theory, which city officials and police have denied, originated online and spread through far-right circles.
Several of Loomer's posts on social media this week came under fire, including one where she nodded to a conspiracy theory about the 9/11 attacks.
"23 years later, and there’s still a lot of unanswered questions," Loomer posted Friday, alongside a video of Trump in 2001 questioning whether airplanes could cause explosions like the ones that happened at the Twin Towers on 9/11.
In another post, Loomer alleged that the "White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center" if Harris wins the presidential election.
That statement earned her condemnation from Greene, who called the comment "appalling and extremely racist."
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing Thursday of Loomer, “No leader should ever associate with someone who spreads this kind of ugliness, this kind of racist poison."
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