Home WebMail Friday, November 1, 2024, 04:32 AM | Calgary | -3.2°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Posted: 2024-09-12T01:59:16Z | Updated: 2024-09-12T01:59:16Z

Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist who posted last year that 9/11 was an inside job, joined Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in New York and Pennsylvania on Wednesday as he commemorated the anniversary of the attacks .

The 31-year-old provocateur and influencer posted photos from ground zero and shared a video of Trump talking with firefighters in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday morning, writing, They were thrilled to see him. She also accompanied the former president to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where one of the planes crashed 23 years ago after crew members and passengers fought back against the hijackers.

HAPPENING NOW: President Trump just visited the Shanksville Fire Department after visiting the memorial site of United Flight 93 and meeting with family members of 9/11 terrorist attack victims in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, she posted on X on Wednesday afternoon. NEVER FORGET!

Loomer said in a text message to The Associated Press that she doesnt work for the Trump campaign and that she was invited as a guest. She did not respond to questions about her past statements about 9/11.

The Trump campaign responded with a statement from an unnamed campaign official. Today, President Trump put politics aside and stood beside Kamala Harris and Joe Biden to honor those who lost their lives during the worst terrorist attack in our nations history. The day wasnt about anyone other than the souls who are no longer with us, their families, and the heroes who courageously stepped up to save their fellow Americans on that fateful day, it read.

Loomer was also spotted departing Trumps plane when he landed in Philadelphia for Tuesdays debate .

Trump has a long history of elevating and associating with people who trade in falsehoods and conspiracy theories, and he regularly amplifies posts on his social media site shared by those like Loomer, who promote QAnon, an apocalyptic and convoluted conspiracy theory centered on the belief that Trump is fighting the deep state. During the debate, Trump pushed baseless claims about migrants stealing and eating cats and dogs and later defended his comments by saying he was repeating things hed seen on TV.

She frequently makes anti-Islam and anti-immigrant posts on social media and has been targeting Trumps Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, with vile racist and sexist attacks. Last year, she shared a video on X that said 9/11 was an Inside Job! and claimed it was somehow related to then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfelds announcing $2.3 trillion in lost government funds on Sept. 10, 2001.

The post misrepresented Rumsfelds remarks , which were about a challenge in tracking funds due to outdated technology. The day before 9/11 was not the first time the problem had been discussed.

The conspiracy theory that U.S. officials are hiding information about the Sept. 11 attacks or were somehow involved in the planning has taken hold among a segment of determined truthers, but many of their most prevalent claims have fallen apart upon further scrutiny.

Loomers stepped-up presence in Trumps entourage comes as he has made a number of staff changes in recent weeks, including bringing back veterans of his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, like former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Lewandowski was known for the mantra Let Trump be Trump.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

She has long served as one of Trumps fiercest supporters in the Make America Great Again wing of the Republican Party . She led attacks against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Trumps behalf during the primary phase of the 2024 campaign and has been deeply involved in pro-Trump politics and the more extreme elements it has attracted for years.

Some Trump allies would prefer the former president to distance himself from Loomer, but Trump has welcomed her as a semi-regular presence in recent months.

When she ran as a Republican for Congress in Florida in 2020, Loomer celebrated her primary win at a party attended by controversial figures including Gavin McInnes, the founder of the far-right extremist group the Proud Boys. She later lost the 2020 House race to Democrat Lois Frankel. She also ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2022.