Trump ally Laura Loomer called herself ‘white advocate’, audio reveals

Close Donald Trump ally Laura Loomer told a white nationalist conference in 2022 that she considered herself a "white advocate", according to a recording of the speech obtained by the Guardian.

Loomer has come under scrutiny in recent days after being seen accompanying Trump on a flight to the presidential debate on Tuesday, and a subsequent string of racist tweets aimed at Kamala Harris.

That caused a political firestorm after Trump's disastrous debate performance, with Harris emerging the clear winner. In particular, Trump's raising of false claims around Haitian immigrants in Ohio eating pets triggered outrage and mockery of him.

Some observers have placed the blame on Trump's performance partly due to his recent closeness to Loomer, including being pictured standing with him in his entourage at this week's 9/11 commemorations.

The revelation of Loomer's comments about being an advocate for white people is likely to further fuel the controversy around Trump's relationship with Loomer, not least because they are just the latest in a long line of extremist remarks by the podcaster and self-described journalist.

Her attendance at the American Renaissance conference was reported at the time by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), but the contents of her speech have not been scrutinized until now.

The American Renaissance conference, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, is a venue where "racist 'intellectuals' rub shoulders with Klansmen, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists".