'I apologise': Trump aide Laura Loomer apologises for 'anti-India' posts on social media

NEW DELHI: American far-right activist and staunch supporter of US President Donald Trump, Laura Loomer on Saturday apologised for some of her earlier "anti-India" social media posts after it sparked backlash online for being racist and derogatory.Speaking at the India Today conclave, Loomer addressed criticism over several posts she had made on the social media platform X. When questioned about the controversy, she acknowledged "I should not have said some of the things I wrote in the tweets." "I apologise if my remarks offended people. I am here in India this week and will be spending several days in the country, travelling across the country," she added. However, Loomer claimed that she would not apologise for her stance against the H-1B visa programme in the United States. "I am not going to apologise for opposing the H-1B visa programme, because my job is to stand up for American interests. Our immigration and labour laws have been exploited and abused. I will continue to fight for American workers who are struggling to find employment," she said.The controversy erupted after Loomer arrived in India for the conclave, with several social media users highlighting her earlier posts that included crude stereotypes and derogatory remarks about Indians, including comments about hygiene and intelligence.As she posted about her arrival, the comments resurfaced and quickly went viral triggering widespread criticism.Clarifying her position, Loomer said she did not harbour hostility toward India or Hindus. "I do not have hatred in my heart for India or for Hindu people," she said."I do not come from a place of hatred; my comments come from a place of love for my people and my country," she added.Loomer also criticised Pakistan, accusing it of supporting extremist networks. "Pakistan’s biggest export to the world is Islamic terrorism, and I don’t believe the US should be cosying up to the Pakistani government at all," she said."Pakistan operates as an openly jihadist and pro-Sharia state, and when you look at many of the Islamist terror attacks around the world, there is often some connection back to Pakistan," she added.