Allies fear far-right is sabotaging Trump campaign

Donald Trump’s growing closeness to Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and controversial figure on social media, has raised concerns among Republicans who fear his presidential bid is heading down a self-destructive path by aligning itself with the political fringes.

According to the Financial Timesafter the debate with Kamala Harris last Tuesday (10), Trump came out weakened, especially for having deviated from the vice president’s provocations about his suitability for the position and started to defend conspiracy theories, involving the 2020 election and immigrants eating pets.

Republicans’ concerns about Trump have been heightened by Loomer’s growing influence on his campaign, especially at such a pivotal moment. Loomer, 31, who is known for promoting conspiracy theories including those related to 9/11, was seen exiting Trump’s plane before the debate and also accompanied the former president to ceremonies commemorating the 9/11 attacks in New York.

Brendan Buck, a Republican strategist and former congressional aide, said: “[Trump] He is increasingly surrounded by people who tell him only what he wants to hear, which takes him away from reality.” Loomer, in turn, made disparaging comments about Kamala Harris’s Native American heritage and reinforced false claims about Haitian immigrants kidnapping pets.

One Republican strategist has commented that Trump’s fixation on memes and his loyalty to people like Loomer are hurting his ability to capitalize on his leadership on important issues like inflation, immigration and national security. Other allies, including Senator Lindsey Graham and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, have criticized Loomer, with Greene saying she does not have the right experience or mindset to advise the campaign.

Republicans warn that Trump’s association with extremist figures could alienate moderate and centrist voters in swing states. Senator Thom Tillis, for example, called Loomer a “crazy conspiracy theorist” and said she hurts Trump’s reelection chances.

The unease with Loomer comes amid criticism that Trump is being influenced by controversial figures such as Matt Gaetz and Tulsi Gabbard rather than mainstream conservatives. It raises questions about the effectiveness of the campaign, especially after Joe Biden was replaced by Harris on the Democratic ticket.

While Trump has brought back Corey Lewandowski, a veteran of the 2016 campaign, it doesn’t seem to have had a positive impact. Buck concluded: “We can forget the idea that this campaign is any more disciplined than it has been in the past.”

Loomer, a self-described “investigative journalist,” has 1.2 million followers on X (formerly Twitter) and has become an influential figure on the far right, alongside other conservative influencers like Charlie Kirk. In response to criticism, Loomer accused Greene of jealousy and Graham of being a closeted gay man. She has also repeated absurd theories about Haitian immigrants, further raising concerns about her influence on Trump’s campaign.