Former US President Donald Trump marked the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with commemorative stops in New York City and Pennsylvania on Wednesday. However, his tributes were overshadowed by the presence of far-right figure Laura Loomer, who has a history of promoting conspiracy theories about the 2001 attacks and posting anti-Muslim content on social media.
Loomer, who was banned from Twitter (now X) for her inflammatory posts before being reinstated by Elon Musk, has previously suggested that the 9/11 attacks were an “inside job.”
When asked why Loomer was part of Trump's entourage, a campaign official sidestepped the question, and told CNN that the day was about “the souls no longer with us, their families, and the heroes who courageously stepped up to save their fellow Americans on that fateful day.”
In a phone interview, Loomer defended her presence at the memorial. “I don't understand the issue with me going to a 9/11 memorial,” she told CNN. “People who greeted President Trump were happy to see me and thanked me for coming.” She added that she has never denied the role of Islamic terrorists in the attacks, doubling down on her history of vocalising concerns about “Islamic terrorism in America.”
Laura Loomer's presence around Donald Trump has grown increasingly prominent, with reports indicating she has access to his personal phone number and regularly attends his events.
The controversial figure was also spotted deboarding Trump's private plane in Philadelphia before his debate against Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Later that night, Trump referenced a baseless rumour about Haitian migrants, which Loomer had also promoted online.
Some of her other provocative social media posts have even preceded Trump's own public statements, suggesting a possible influence on his rhetoric.
This association is consistent with Trump's history of embracing conspiracy theorists, dating back to his promotion of the “birther” conspiracy about former President Barack Obama's birthplace.
Loomer's potential sway over Trump was also recently seen when Trump questioned Kamala Harris' heritage during an interview, with some sources attributing the talking points to Loomer.
In defence, Loomer told CNN, “I don't think it's racist to mock the fact that Kamala Harris panders to every single group of people who she encounters in an effort to try to convince them that she shares their same identity,” but she did not confirm if she influenced Trump's remarks.
