Latest news with #Loomer
New York Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Top Lawyer for National Security Agency Is Fired
The top lawyer for the National Security Agency was removed from her job on Friday, according to multiple former officials, after she was criticized by conservative activists. April Falcon Doss had been appointed to the general counsel post in April 2022, during the Biden administration. The web page on the N.S.A. site that displayed her biography now redirects to an error page. On July 23, the Daily Wire, a conservative website, wrote about Ms. Doss and her former work for the Senate Intelligence Committee's Democratic staff. Later that day, Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist, amplified a social media post critical of Ms. Doss that cited the Daily Wire article. In a text message on Tuesday, Ms. Loomer said that she had 'reposted a tweet that exposed her last week and flagged it for the right people.' Ms. Doss could not be reached for comment. But an official briefed on the matter said Ms. Loomer's criticism appeared to have a role in the firing. In the spring, Trump administration officials removed Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, the N.S.A. director, and his deputy, Wendy Noble, from their jobs after Ms. Loomer complained about them. Ms. Loomer argued, without evidence, that they were disloyal to the Trump administration. And in February, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, announced she was firing more than 100 N.S.A. employees who she said had participated in an explicit chat group on classified computers. Ms. Doss worked at the agency before becoming general counsel and has extensive experience in cybersecurity law, including writing a 2020 book, 'Cyber Privacy: Who Has Your Data and Why You Should Care.' Spokesmen for the National Security Agency did not immediately comment. The general counsel post is a civil servant job and is supposed to be apolitical. At the end of President Trump's first term, Michael Ellis, an administration loyalist, was appointed to the job amid protests from Democrats in Congress. Mr. Ellis was put on leave at the start of the Biden administration and ultimately resigned from the role. He is now the deputy director of the C.I.A.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Michigan Walmart stabbing: Trump ally says it's 'highly likely' suspect is an 'Islamic immigrant,' calls for deportation
Trump ally Laura Loomer has broken her silence following a stabbing incident in Michigan, saying that the state has been 'destroyed by Islamic invaders.' Loomer made the remark in a statement shared on X, where she posted a screenshot of someone claiming the suspect was 'a foreign guy.' Michigan Walmart stabbing: Trump ally says it's 'highly likely' suspect is an 'Islamic immigrant,' calls for deportation (Pixabay - representational image) Loomer wrote, 'The man who just stabbed nearly a dozen innocent people inside a Walmart in Michigan is being described by witnesses as 'a foreign guy'.' 'Sadly, Michigan has been destroyed by Islamic invaders who have ruined majority European cities in Michigan that have now been ruined by women in Burkas and the stench of Shawarma,' she added. 'It's highly likely that the man who stabbed people in Michigan today is an Islamic immigrant.' Read More | Traverse City Walmart stabbing: Videos show massive emergency response amid 'mass casualty' incident In a previous post about the Michigan stabbing, Loomer wrote, 'What are the odds that the person who went on a stabbing rampage in Michigan today is a Muslim immigrant? Michigan has been invaded. Deport them all.' However, authorities have not shared any information about the suspect yet. The individual has yet to be identified, and there is indication or confirmation from officials that the suspect is an Islamic immigrant. What we know so far The deadly incident took place at a Walmart in Traverse City in Michigan. Michigan State Police has confirmed that an investigation is underway and the suspect is in custody. Read More | Traverse City stabbing: What happened at Walmart? Michigan police at the scene The incident resulted in 11 people getting injured. They are all being treated at Munson Healthcare. Munson Healthcare said on social media following the stabbing, 'We can confirm that 11 victims are being treated at Munson Medical Center. As a result, our Emergency Department is currently experiencing a higher-than-usual volume of patients.' While the suspect has yet to be identified, a photo surfacing on social media appears to show a cop placing the suspect in handcuffs. The incident was declared a Level 2 Mass Casualty Incident (MCI).
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Traverse City Walmart stabbing suspect, a ‘foreign guy', used folding knife to attack 11 victims
Tragedy hit Traverse City, Michigan, after 11 people were stabbed at the Walmart there. While the suspect is now in custody, more details are emerging about the case. Authorities are yet to release details of the suspect they have in custody for the Traverse City Walmart stabbing(AP) One local on Facebook has claimed that the suspect was a 'foreign guy'. Amber Paull's comment was shared on X by Laura Loomer. Authorities have meanwhile said that the suspect appears to be a Michigan resident. What the local said about the stabbing? On Facebook, Paull said 'a foreign guy just lost it on random people in the produce and grocery area. African American guy pulled a hero move and pulled his pistol out and tried to get him to stop but then people screamed and workers said run so the guy slipped out in the crowd. Old woman, and a child forsure were stabbed along with many more'. What Laura Loomer said? Loomer had initially asked what were the odds of the person involved in the Michigan stabbing being a Muslim. 'Michigan has been invaded. Deport them all,' she wrote on X. After the local's account, Loomer visibly vindicated, added on X, 'Sadly, Michigan has been destroyed by Islamic invaders who have ruined majority European cities in Michigan that have now been ruined by women in Burkas and the stench of Shawarma. It's highly likely that the man who stabbed people in Michigan today is an Islamic immigrant.' Notably, cops have not released much details of the suspect they have in custody for the stabbings. Authorities respond to Traverse City Walmart stabbing Munson Healthcare said on social media that 11 people were being treated at the region's largest hospital in northern Michigan, and spokesperson Megan Brown said all were stabbing victims. She did not immediately have information on their conditions. Munson Healthcare said it would provide updates 'as appropriate.' The Michigan State Police said the local sheriff's office was investigating the incident and details were limited. The agency asked that people avoid the area while the investigation is ongoing. A fire truck, multiple police vehicles and uniformed first responders were seen outside the Walmart following the incident. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said her office was in contact with police about the 'horrible news.' 'Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence,' Whitmer said. (With AP inputs)
Politico
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Laura Loomer on the Epstein Saga: ‘Trump is not implicated'
Happy Friday! How are we all feeling now that Love Island USA is over? Personally, I'm relieved. Feel free to send any tips, questions, thoughts: klong@ and ecordover@ Let's jump right into it. She's been called the one-woman DOGE, credited with the firings of several top administration officials. Her close allyship with President Donald Trump has given her unprecedented access to the White House and made her a prominent figure in the MAGA world, where she's known for her brazen — and often feared — demeanor. Laura Loomer says she doesn't want to be the center of the story. But despite her protestations, she is. Loomer, who founded her own media company and hosts her show 'Loomer Unleashed' on conservative streaming platform Rumble, is not one to shy away from controversy. She has referred to herself as a 'proud Islamophobe,' promoted conspiracy theories and made several racist comments toward politicians. Her attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and her Muslim faith on Twitter in 2018 led to her being banned from the site. Her account was reinstated once Elon Musk bought the site, where she now posts frequently for her 1.7 million followers. Her attacks on Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling of the so-called Epstein files made headlines as she demanded that FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino push for Bondi's resignation. Trump is standing by Bondi. On the campaign trail and during his first few months in office, Trump repeatedly promised to release the Epstein files. Once he went back on that promise, anger brewed on both sides of the aisle, most notably splintering the MAGA world. And Loomer, who insisted the files be released, leapt into the fray, warning the controversy could 'consume his presidency.' Still, Loomer says her support for Trump has not wavered. She's one of many Trump allies rushing to his defense following the release of a bombshell Wall Street Journal report, alleging the existence of a bawdy birthday letter the president wrote to Jeffrey Epstein years ago. Trump has vehemently denied writing the letter, and threatened to sue the publication. (POLITICO has not independently verified the existence of the letter.) 'The report is bullshit,' Loomer tells Women Rule. Women Rule spoke to Loomer on Thursday before the Wall Street Journal story was published and again on Friday morning. Her interviews have been edited for length and clarity. What are your thoughts on The Wall Street Journal report that was published last night? So I think that Rupert Murdoch is an absolute abomination. The report is bullshit. I'm looking forward to seeing President Trump sue the Wall Street Journal and essentially suing News Corp and Rupert Murdoch, and it's just a testament to how petty and unpleasant Rupert Murdoch is as an individual. He committed to dedicating his entire media entity of News Corp to helping Ron DeSantis try to defeat President Trump, when President Trump was being attacked by the deep state and weaponized justice in the 2024, election primary for the presidential election. [News Corp did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.] If released, what do you expect to see in the Epstein files? I understand that President Trump and Pam Bondi had a conversation, and they made that conversation public yesterday on social media, and I know that some members of Congress are aware of it as well, and it's been a discussion behind the scenes. I'm not sure what to expect. I mean, they said that there's videos, right? They said that there's like pornographic, like child pornography videos. Obviously we're not going to see those videos, but it would be great if they could release the names of the adults who participated in those child porn videos, because I feel like that information should be released to the public. Are there any particular high profile names that you expect to see in the files? No, I think that they need to be specific about what the files are going to constitute. Like, is a file just an address book, right? And I think what the concern is is that there's a lot of high profile people, politicians, business people, who maybe they met Jeffrey Epstein at an event. Maybe they never engaged in any kind of sexual activity with underage children. Maybe they never engaged in any type of activity with Jeffrey Epstein, but their names are just in the address book. I asked for full transparency and I think that they should be releasing more information about the crimes committed against children. But given how sensationalized this story has become, I don't think it's fair to every single person who just happens to know Jeffrey Epstein, even if they haven't been implicated in a crime, to have their entire reputation destroyed because their name is in his address book. Just because you flew on his airplane doesn't mean that you raped a kid. So you think that Trump's concern, and the dance they're doing now in terms of releasing the files, doesn't have to do with the fact that he could possibly be implicated in this? No, it has nothing to do with President Trump being implicated. He's obviously not implicated. President Trump is not a pedophile. President Trump is not a child sex predator. I don't speak for the president, but I could imagine that there is great concern about the blowback that a lot of innocent people who never committed a crime and never engaged in nefarious activities with minors are going to be subjected to, if they release [the files]. Because of the way that this whole thing has been so sensationalized, there's a lot of people who could potentially be branded as pedophiles and have their entire lives destroyed, and that's not fair. We live in a society where you're innocent until proven guilty, and just knowing Jeffrey Epstein shouldn't destroy somebody's life. If you engaged in improper activity with Jeffrey Epstein, then, yeah, it's another story. Trump knew Jeffrey Epstein. He kicked him out of Mar-a-Lago, as the story goes, because he was a pervert. Remember? So obviously President Trump is not implicated. So that being said, is every single person who has met Jeffrey Epstein or had a conversation with Jeffrey Epstein a pedophile? I mean that would mean that the human health secretary is a pedophile. I'm not saying that [Robert F.] Kennedy Jr.'s a pedophile, but Kennedy himself has admitted that he flew on the airplane twice with his wife. So, my point is that there's a lot of people who flew on a plane. They never touched kids. President Trump has to be really careful, because that would be considered weaponized justice, releasing innocent people's names if they are not implicated in a crime just because they were in somebody's address book. Like, there's a lot of implications, given the fact that this case has been so sensationalized. And I don't hear anyone in the media talking about that. I don't know if you agree. I'm just listening to you. So again, I don't speak for Trump, I don't speak for the administration. I want to be really clear about that, but I have heard that some of the internal strife and discussion is about the implication of releasing innocent people's names. I don't think that they're trying to hide anything about President Trump. I think that it's disgusting what the Wall Street Journal did, personally, I think that they're trying to get sued and Trump's gonna win. He has a very good record of winning these lawsuits. President Trump, in a Truth Social post [Wednesday], condemned members of the party for pushing for the release of the Epstein files. How do you respond to that? I don't think it was a condemnation. I think that President Trump is just asking members of the party to focus on other things instead of allowing for the media to consume the entire news cycle with Epstein drama. I think that we can all admit that Pam Blondi — as I call her — botched the release. But at the same time, we need to be focused on President Trump's many wins and the fact that he's doing a lot of great things. Editor's note: Bondi did not respond to a request for comment. Have you spoken with Trump recently? Do you know where you two currently stand? Yeah I speak with him often, but I am not on bad terms with him. I mean, there's no bad blood. POLITICO Special Report Mainers' Message to Trump on Susan Collins by Andrew Howard and Jessica Piper for POLITICO: 'President Donald Trump would like to see a 'better option' than Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins to represent the state. He probably can't get one. The moderate GOP senator causes frequent headaches for the White House when it comes to securing her crucial vote, which is needed to pass key elements of Trump's agenda.' Trump Threatens to Revoke US Citizenship of Longtime Critic Rosie O'Donnell by Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing for POLITICO: 'President Donald Trump on Saturday said he is considering revoking the citizenship of one of his longtime foes — actor and comedian Rosie O'Donnell — something he has no clear legal pathway to do. The move is an escalation of Trump's weaponization of American citizenship. While the president has enacted mass deportations for immigrants and looked to end birthright citizenship for the children of some immigrants, his threat to revoke the New York-born actor's citizenship marks a new frontier.' The MAGA Blowup Over Pam Bondi Has Been a Long Time Coming by Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein and Hailey Fuchs for POLITICO: 'Pam Bondi's political crisis over the Jeffrey Epstein saga is the latest, most acute expression of a persistent problem she has with the MAGA base. The attorney general has long tried to establish herself as one of Donald Trump's most faithful allies: She was part of his defense team during his first impeachment, she helped him challenge his 2020 election loss and she stood by his side during his New York hush money trial. But many of Trump's very online MAGA supporters have always distrusted Bondi.' Number of the Week Read more here. MUST READS Afghan Women and Girls Deported From Iran Fear 'Coming Back to a Cage' by Elian Peltier for The New York Times: 'Iran's mass deportation of more than 1.4 million Afghans this year has shattered the hopes of women and girls working and studying in Iran. Neighboring Pakistan has implemented a similar policy, putting at risk the lives of many other women who fled Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban takeover in 2021.' The Stealth Attack on Women in Trump's Budget Bill by Casey Quinlan for The New Republic: 'Trump's megabill hits women at a time when culture-warring conservatives are more openly pushing to force more women to stay at home with their kids — and arguing that if they're going to go to school at all, they should do it for their MRS degree. The bill is the latest win for Republicans who are trying to peel away women's agency at every level by making it harder for women to have economic stability and reproductive freedom. It contains hits to reproductive care funding (though a judge has temporarily blocked this part of the law from going into effect), deep cuts to SNAP benefits and Medicaid that will affect caretakers of all ages, and measures that make it harder for kids to get free school meals.' Democratic Women's Caucus Demands Probe of Treatment of Women in ICE Detention by Rebecca Beitsch for The Hill: 'The Democratic Women's Caucus is demanding an investigation into the treatment of women in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, accusing the Trump administration of 'medical neglect' in cases that include the loss of one woman's unborn child. The Trump administration recently rescinded Biden-era guidance on treatment of migrants in detention, including those detailing guidelines for pregnant women.' QUOTE OF THE WEEK Read more here. on the move Karina Lynch was promoted to the chair of DLA Piper's Government Affairs and Public Policy Practice. She was recently tapped to be an outside ethics attorney for the Trump Organization and is a Grassley and Collins alum. Maggie Angel is joining the Illinois governor's office in D.C. as director of federal affairs. She previously was a legislative assistant for Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). (h/t POLITICO Influence) Emily Trentacope is joining the American Cleaning Institute as vice president of sustainability. She was most recently associate national program director for EPA's Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research program. (h/t POLITICO Influence)
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Laura Loomer's witch hunt just made Trump's Epstein problems even worse
As Donald Trump continues battling the blaze of controversy surrounding his administration's reversal on the issue of releasing a list of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged co-conspirators, the so-called 'Epstein Client List,' Loomer's own contribution to the mess may end up letting what little air is left out of the president's tires. On Wednesday afternoon, the acidic conservative activist celebrated the firing of Maurene Comey, an assistant U.S. attorney and daughter of the former FBI Director James Comey. The latter is a reviled figure among many Republicans and Democrats in Washington over his handling of investigations into both Hillary Clinton and Trump during the 2016 election season. Her celebration came after Loomer personally lobbied the administration for Comey's firing, publicly and privately. In typical shoot-first form, she labeled Attorney General Pam Bondi the sexist nickname 'Blondi' as she bombarded Twitter with posts calling for Comey to be sacked. The reason behind the firing of his daughter is obvious to anyone versed in the far-right's lore: she represented the clearest image of the 'Deep State' conspiracy which Trump and his lackeys concocted to explain the prosecution of members of his campaign in 2016 as well as the DoJ's efforts to prosecute Trump himself after her father was fired in 2017. But to be clear, that reason isn't going to be what the vast majority of Americans see about this latest development, especially if Democrats latch on to the issue at all. Instead, the headline (or tweets) will be much more succinct: Trump fires the prosecutor who put away Ghislaine Maxwell as his base revolts over the Epstein Client List. That's right: at the peak of the uproar over the Justice Department's insistence that such a list doesn't even exist, Loomer talked Trump into firing a key figure behind the effort to hold Epstein and his co-conspirator accountable. And he did it the same day as he 'Truthed' and deleted a post on his social media platform ripping apart his followers for feeling let down. The attack lines write themselves. Will Saletan, a writer and commentator for The Bulwark, tweeted in response to Comey's firing: 'It's becoming difficult to explain the president's behavior as the conduct of an innocent man.' It's some of Trumpworld's most prominent defenders, too, like Dana Loesch (former spokeswoman for the NRA) and Riley Gaines, the face of the right-wing anti-transgender movement. Responding to Trump on Wednesday calling his followers 'stupid' and 'foolish' in a now-deleted Truth Social posting, Gaines wrote: 'Was it stupid & foolish when he campaigned on releasing the files? Are Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, Dan Bongino, and Alina Habba all foolish & stupid for peddling this for the past 6 months? Why on earth is he doing this?' This isn't the first time Loomer has played an oversized role in the second Trump White House. It's just the first time it has immediately blown up in the president's face. Loomer previously orchestrated a purge of the national security council (NSC) earlier this year after accusing staff members of disloyalty and leaking to the media. Mike Waltz, the national security adviser, was eventually shifted out of the White House to serve as U.N. ambassador after accidentally adding a reporter in his contacts to a Signal chain where information about imminent attack plans were shared by senior officials. Accusations of a cover-up are quickly evolving into full-scale assumptions of Trump's own direct involvement in Epstein's known criminal activities. And the administration's refusal to release more information after very publicly promising the opposite and inviting right-wing influencers and operatives like Jack Posobiec to the White House to receive big flashy binders marked 'The Epstein Files' is doing the president absolutely no favors. On Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also announced that the administration would not appoint a special prosecutor to review the investigation into Epstein, hardly a surprise given that Trump has repeatedly urged his followers to stop talking about it. That was a direct rebuke of Steve Bannon, War Room podcast host and one of Trump's longtime advisers — though the two were closer during Trump's first term. Bannon has called for the appointment of such an official multiple times on his show over the past weeks. New polling is clear: Trump's Epstein flip-flop is quickly becoming the least popular thing he's ever done. Even the majority of his own MAGA supporters, Republicans and independents both, are in near-uniform opposition to his refusal to release the 'client list', the Justice Department's reversal-of-fact on the issue of whether it exists or not, and especially Trump's own bluster and blunder as he attempts to force the story out of the headlines. And if this week is any indication, Trump and his team have come up with nothing that can move the story out of the headlines or satisfy the MAGA base's hunger for answers — except by following through on a promise to deliver the moon.
