Sen. Lindsey Graham on Thursday became the latest Republican to denounce Laura Loomer, the far-right influencer seen traveling with former President Donald Trump in recent weeks.
Graham, the longtime South Carolina Republican, has both clashed with and aligned himself with the former president in the past. On Thursday, he urged Trump to abandon Loomer, who he called “toxic.”
Loomer has existed on the periphery of the MAGA extended universe for years, but has recently been spotted more frequently with the former president. On Tuesday, she was seen leaving Trump’s private jet when it landed for the debate in Philadelphia.
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The far-right internet personality, who previously called 9/11 an “inside job,” also accompanied the president to memorials in Manhattan and Pennsylvania on the anniversary of the attacks on Wednesday.
Graham, for his part, bristled at the inclusion of Loomer in Trump’s entourage during the important slate of events that were all meant to burnish his support among undecided voters.
Laura Loomer leaves former President Donald Trump’s jet before the presidential debate on Tuesday night.
Eduardo Munoz/Reuters“I mean, she actually called for Kellyanne Conway’s daughter to hang herself,” Graham told the Huffington Post. “I don’t know how this all happened, but, no, I don’t think it’s helpful. I don’t think it’s helpful at all.”
He repeated the criticism in a separate interview with the The Washington Post, calling Loomer’s past statements “beyond disturbing” while adding: “I hope this problem gets resolved. I think we should be talking about things that people are concerned about, and this issue, I think, doesn’t help the cause.”
Loomer has gained notoriety over the years for stunts that have lead to bans on multiple social media platforms. In 2017, she was banned from the ridesharing apps Uber and Lyft for publicly complaining that she “couldn't find a non Muslim cab” or driver.
After she was banned from Twitter in 2019, Loomer handcuffed herself to the company’s offices in Manhattan. Loomer’s account was reinstated in 2022 after Elon Musk purchased the company.
She has tried to build a brand as the “most banned woman in the world,” the tagline to her 2021 memoir, and claims she has been kicked off most social media apps as well as payment services, including PayPal.
Loomer ran for a seat in the House of Representatives in 2020 and 2022. The far-right activist won her primary for Florida’s former 21st district, but lost by almost 20 points to Democratic incumbent Rep. Lois Frankel.
She tried to run again in a different district in 2022, but lost the Republican primary to incumbent Rep. Daniel Webster.
The most recent rift between Loomer and more mainstream Republican figures began when Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump stalwart originally elected in 2020, called out a days-old post from Loomer, where she criticized Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris with ethnic stereotypes.
Greene, who in the past has been criticized for racist and xenophobic statements, called Loomer’s remarks “appalling and extremely racist.”
Responding to Graham with a post on X, formerly Twitter, Loomer claimed the senator was “never been loyal to President Trump.”
“He got booed in his own state at a TRUMP RALLY and was booed off stage because he is DISLOYAL to Trump and the American people,” Loomer wrote, referring to the poor reception the senator got at a 2023 rally.
