Donald Trump made a feeble attempt to fend off bipartisan outrage over his association this week with Laura Loomerthe far-right social media activist and failed congressional candidate. As he tried to distance himself somewhat from her controversial opinions, Trump said she is not connected to his campaign and that he disagrees with her “statements.”

“Laura Loomer doesn’t work for the Campaign. She’s a private citizen and longtime supporter,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Friday afternoon. “I disagree with the statements she made but, like the many millions of people who support me, she is tired of watching the Radical Left Marxists and Fascists violently attack and smear me, even to the point of doing anything to stop their Political Opponent, ME!”

Trump did not say specifically which of Loomer’s statements he disagreed with, but he has plenty to choose from. Loomer, 31, has a long history of making racist, offensive statements: She has called herself a “proud Islamophobic,” cheered the death of thousands of migrantssaid 9/11 was an “inside job,” spread conspiracy theories about mass shootings and, more recently, posted a racist attack against Vice President Kamala Harris.

Loomer accompanied Trump to Tuesday’s debate and then to Sept. 11 memorial services the next day, which sparked especially intense criticism, given her past comments about 9/11. Trump’s fraternizing with Loomer this week caused such a stir that even Republicans Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Sen. Lindsey Graham have publicly urged him to disavow her.

Trump’s allies have long regarded the far-right provocateur as a “liability,” according to NBC News. But the former president’s affinity for Loomer is not new. He endorsed her in 2020 during the first of two failed runs for Congress. He has called her a “terrific” person and talked glowingly of her support for him. And The New York Times reported last year that Trump wanted to hire Loomer for a role in his campaign.

Now, Loomer’s high-profile appearances alongside Trump this week suggest that cracks may be widening in his campaign, NBC News reportsas his aides and advisers struggle to keep him away from people who encourage his worst political instincts.

Amid the backlash to her proximity, Trump has tried to walk a line between defending his association with Loomer and distancing himself from her beliefs. He told reporters on Friday that he does not “control” her and described her as a “free spirit.” Yet when asked about her conspiracy theories, he has pleaded ignorance, saying“I don’t know that much about it.”

Clarissa-Jan Lim

Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking/trending news blogger for BLN Digital. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.