Former President Donald Trump said Friday that he doesn’t control far-right agitator Laura Loomer, whom he described as a “free spirit” and “supporter.”
“Laura’s 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, but Laura is a supporter. I don’t control Laura. Laura has to say what she wants. She’s a free spirit,” Trump said at a news conference in Southern California in response to a question from CNN’s Kristen Holmes about his allies expressing concern about their close relationship in recent days.
Pressed by Holmes that it’s his allies who have expressed concern, Trump said, “Look, I can’t tell Laura what to do. Laura’s a supporter. I have a lot of supporters.”
In response to questions about Loomer’s racist and conspiratorial comments, Trump said that he had just heard about it for the first time, and that Loomer waas a person with “strong opinions.”
“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,” Trump said.
“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.”
Two days before Tuesday’s presidential debate, Loomer said that if Vice President Kamala Harris, who is half Indian, wins in the 2024 election, “the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center.”
Trump ally and conservative Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene condemned the remark, calling it “appalling and extremely racist.”
In response to another reporter’s question, Trump downplayed how Loomer traveled with him on his plane to the Philadelphia debate along with close advisers and family members.
“A lot of people do. It’s a very big plane,” Trump said.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
