White House Condemns Trump’s Connections to Conspiracy Theorist Laura Loomer – Reuters

By Kanishka Singh and Gabriella Borter

The White House criticized former President Donald Trump on Thursday for his association with far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, who has been accompanying the Republican presidential candidate this week.

Loomer has clarified that she does not work for Trump but has acknowledged discussing political issues with him and frequently visiting his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Her provocative posts on social media, where she has a significant following, often appear to align with Trump’s narrative and potential attacks.

In the lead-up to Trump’s debate with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, Loomer made a controversial remark suggesting that if Harris, who has Indian heritage, were to win the upcoming election, "the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center."

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre condemned such statements, calling them "repugnant" and "un-American." She emphasized that this type of hateful and divisive rhetoric should be denounced. "No leader should ever associate with someone who spreads this kind of ugliness, this kind of racist poison," she added.

Loomer traveled with Trump to his debate in Pennsylvania and joined him and his team in New York for a commemoration of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, as shown in videos and photos. Previously, she had suggested that the Sept. 11 attacks were orchestrated, but she recently retracted that view during an interview, stating that the attacks were executed by "Islamic terrorists."

When asked about the White House’s remarks regarding Loomer, Trump’s campaign did not directly respond. Instead, they highlighted his focus on bipartisan unity during the Sept. 11 ceremony.

In response to the criticism from the White House, Loomer brushed it off, denying any accusations of racism and claiming that Jean-Pierre was offended due to Loomer’s earlier social media post about a false narrative involving Haitian immigrants.