Trump defends 'loony' Laura Loomer amid MAGA meltdown

WASHINGTON: MAGA supremo Donald Trump is defending his patronage of far-right wingnut Laura Loomer even as the association, seen as an amorous dalliance on overheated social media, has triggered an inner-party fracas that threatens to derail his presidential campaign.

With even some of his Republican allies, including prominent GOP lawmakers, up in arms over Loomer's perceived influence over him, Trump insisted to reporters on Friday that she is just another "supporter," though she has been having privileges other MAGA mugs don't get: traveling with him on his private jet and receiving public display of affection and praise in a way that has set tongues wagging.

“I don’t control Laura. Laura has to say what she wants. She’s a free spirit,” Trump said when asked about some her more toxic views and comments, including 9/11 denialism.

He later sought to put some distance between them in a post on Truth Social, saying she doesn’t work for his campaign and she’s a private citizen and longtime supporter. "I disagree with the statements she made but, like the many millions of people who support me, she is tired of watching the Radical Left Marxists and Fascists violently attack and smear me, even to the point of doing anything to stop their Political Opponent, ME!” he wrote.

Loomer is now contesting reports that she is a 9/11 denialist despite posting a video on social media last year claiming it was an “inside job.” She was seen with Trump at the 9/11 memorial earlier this week -- one of many public appearances with him -- even as his wife Melania has disappeared from public view, leading to speculation about the state of their marriage.

Liberal trolls are having a field day on social media repaying Loomer and other MAGA folk for slandering Kamala Harris. "Fun Fact: You can find more photos of Trump showing public displays of affection with Laura Loomer than with his own wife," wrote one. Another: "Laura Loomer wants to be Ivanka Trump’s step-mother. Roll that up in your copy of national inquirer and smoke it." Loomer is 31, Trump 78, and Melania 51.

Considered toxic and unhinged even by MAGA standards, Loomer's vicious tirades against Kamala Harris included calling her “a drug using prostitute,” and more recently jibing that the White House would smell like curry if she is elected. She once said Harris is childless because "she’s had so many abortions that she damaged her uterus,” arguing that "a woman who has no biological children of her own should not be allowed to make decisions in the White House for your children."

On Friday, more GOP lawmakers came out against Trump's revolting "supporter," signaling growing fissures in the party which was evident in California where Trump bluntly declined to endorse the Republican candidate for the Senate Steve Garvey because "he has not reached out to MAGA."

Elsewhere Thom Tillis, the Republican Senator from North Carolina, a battleground state, posted on X that Loomer is “a crazy conspiracy theorist who regularly utters disgusting garbage intended to divide Republicans."

"A DNC plant couldn’t do a better job than she is doing to hurt President Trump’s chances of winning. Enough,” Tillis said.