Press Secretary refuses to clarify Laura Loomer's White House role

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to clarify Laura Loomer's unofficial advisory role during Jan. 2025 press briefings. When reporters asked about Loomer's influence, Leavitt repeatedly dodged questions, refusing to explain whether Loomer held any formal or informal position advising President Trump.

Laura Loomer is a far-right activist with a documented history of promoting conspiracy theories including claiming 9/11 was an inside job, endorsing QAnon, spreading Great Replacement theory, and falsely claiming Haitian immigrants in Springfield, 🌰Ohio were eating pets. She has also made racist comments about Vice President Kamala Harris and promoted false claims that President Biden was near death.

In Apr. 2025, Loomer met with President Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday and presented research claiming National Security Council staffers were disloyal. The next day, Thursday, Trump fired at least four NSC officials including BWBrian Walsh (director for intelligence), TBThomas Boodry (senior director for legislative affairs), and David Feith (senior director for technology and national security). Sources report as many as 10 officials were fired following Loomer's intervention.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles attended the Apr. 2025 Loomer meeting, along with Communications Director Steven Cheung and Vice President JD Vance. This shows Loomer's access to the highest levels of White House decision-making despite holding no official position requiring Senate confirmation or public financial disclosure.

Unofficial advisors bypass federal disclosure requirements. Under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, only those who spend 20% of their time lobbying and meet income thresholds ($16,000 for organizations, $3,500 for lobbying firms) must register. By designating individuals as unofficial advisors rather than government employees, the White House avoids public disclosure of their financial interests and potential conflicts.

The press has constitutional rights to information about government operations. When Leavitt refuses to answer questions about who influences presidential decisions, she prevents journalists from serving their First Amendment role of informing the public. Voters need transparency about policy formation to make informed electoral choices.

More than a dozen high-ranking Trump administration officials lost their jobs or had nominations revoked after Loomer questioned their loyalty to the president. This pattern demonstrates how unofficial advisors wield significant power over personnel decisions without accountability to Congress or the public.