When Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of the most controversial and polarizing figures in American politics, denounces someone for being “appalling and extremely racist,” you know things are bad. Greene, known for her extreme views and inflammatory rhetoric, called out far-right activist Laura Loomer over a racist tweet about Vice President Kamala Harris, marking a rare moment where Greene took a stand against bigotry within her political circles.
The incident began when Loomer posted a highly offensive tweet about Harris, making derogatory comments that played on crude stereotypes. “If @KamalaHarris wins, the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center,” Loomer tweeted, referencing harmful tropes about Indian culture. The tweet, riddled with racist innuendo, led even Greene—a stalwart Trump supporter and ardent defender of MAGA ideals—to demand that Loomer take it down.
“This is appalling and extremely racist,” Greene wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “It does not represent who we are as Republicans or MAGA. This does not represent President Trump. This type of behavior should not be tolerated ever. @LauraLoomer should take this down.”
This is appalling and extremely racist. It does not represent who we are as Republicans or MAGA.
This does not represent President Trump.
This type of behavior should not be tolerated ever. @LauraLoomer should take this down. https://t.co/z9s5fZlgQi
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— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) September 11, 2024
That Greene, someone who has herself promoted conspiracy theories and inflammatory rhetoric, felt compelled to publicly distance herself from Loomer is striking. Greene has built her brand on aligning with the far-right base, often using similarly provocative language to energize her supporters. If even she finds Loomer’s comments beyond the pale, it raises the question: just how bad do you have to be for MTG to call you out?
The Radical Rise of Laura Loomer
Laura Loomer isn’t new to controversy. She has long been a lightning rod for far-right extremism, and her relationship with Donald Trump has only amplified concerns about her influence within Republican circles. Despite her toxic rhetoric, Trump has embraced Loomer, a move that has worried many of his allies.
NBC News recently reported that Trump’s close relationship with Loomer has unsettled many within his inner circle. “Trump’s embrace of far-right activist Laura Loomer worries allies,” the headline read. Loomer, an anti-Muslim extremist and a vocal supporter of conspiracy theories, has been a divisive figure even among far-right activists. Her notoriety stems from stunts like handcuffing herself to Twitter’s headquarters in protest of being banned from the platform and accusing Muslims of taking over Uber and Lyft.
As NBC News noted, “Her ties to Trump have raised eyebrows, especially as she pushes ideas that are seen as fringe, even within Trump’s own party.” With her growing influence, many fear that Loomer’s extremism could pull Trump even further to the right, alienating moderate voters in the process .
Loomer’s 9/11 Outrage
More recently, Loomer found herself under scrutiny for her comments during the 9/11 anniversary. At an event to honor the victims of the terrorist attacks, Loomer drew controversy by using the solemn occasion to push divisive political narratives. As New Republic reported, Trump was seen talking to Loomer at the memorial, a move that sparked outrage. The outlet captured the troubling scene: “Trump apparently thought the anniversary of 9/11 was a good time to meet with Laura Loomer, a woman who has regularly downplayed the suffering of Muslim Americans”.
New Republic wrote:
But for Loomer, those deaths took on a special meaning, because she believes that the U.S. government was complicit in the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans—or at least, that’s what she posted on X last year.
“On 9/10/01 , one day before 9/11, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld under the Bush administration said the US Government ‘lost’ $2.3 Trillion dollars. The very next day, 9/11/01, we were attacked,” Loomer wrote in a post in June 2023.
Loomer’s presence at the memorial was viewed as an insult to many, particularly those who have suffered from the discrimination she often fuels. The fact that Trump entertained her at such a somber event highlights the troubling influence she continues to wield in some political circles.
A Fractured Friendship
In a follow-up to her initial rebuke of Loomer, Greene shared some insight into their fractured friendship. According to Greene, the two were once close allies, and she had even supported Loomer’s initial run for Congress. Greene recalled how she endorsed, donated, and fundraised for Loomer, but their relationship soured when Loomer refused Greene’s advice to run in a more favorable district.
Little bit of a history lesson for a few of you.
Laura and I used to be friends going back to 2018. I used to defend her and support her like in this post here.
I endorsed her first run for congress, donated to her, and fundraised for her and then she lost.
Then when she ran… pic.twitter.com/VLuAqVSlP1
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) September 12, 2024
“When she ran again against Daniel Webster, I told her to run in another district, so she could win, but she refused. When I didn’t endorse her, she turned on me and began attacking me and lying about me,” Greene wrote on X. Greene also alleged that Loomer has lied about her and other Trump loyalists like Matt Gaetz, accusing her of fabricating stories to gain attention.
Despite their falling out, Greene said she advocated for Loomer to regain access to her Twitter (now X) account after she had been banned for her extremist views. But this recent tweet, Greene said, was beyond excusable. “When it comes to posts that are flat-out racist, hateful, and make President Trump look bad, she needs to be responsible and delete them,” Greene stated.
The Loomer-Trump Problem
Greene’s criticisms of Loomer extend beyond their personal history, touching on larger concerns within the Republican Party about the role Loomer is playing in influencing Donald Trump. According to Semafor, there are growing fears among GOP insiders that Loomer is driving Trump further toward extreme positions that could harm his chances in a general election. “Republicans fear Laura Loomer is influencing Donald Trump” read a recent headline, highlighting just how alarmed some are by her proximity to the former president .
With her divisive tactics and propensity to stoke racial and religious hatred, Loomer’s influence over Trump is a ticking time bomb for Republicans hoping to win over more moderate voters. Her rhetoric not only isolates large swaths of the American electorate but also threatens to tarnish Trump’s image with independents.
In the end, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s public condemnation of Laura Loomer is a rare moment of accountability in a political landscape increasingly dominated by extremism. That Greene—someone not known for her restraint—felt the need to draw a line underscores just how far Loomer has fallen in the eyes of even the most hardline Republicans.
Laura Loomer has built her career on being provocative and incendiary, but in doing so, she has alienated even those who once stood by her side. When Marjorie Taylor Greene calls you out for being too extreme, you’ve clearly crossed a line that even the far-right isn’t willing to follow.
Featured image via screengrab
