Trump dismisses national security officials after far-right influencer raises doubts about their loyalty.

WASHINGTON, April 4 — Donald Trump dismissed multiple US national security officials following concerns raised by a far-right conspiracy theorist in a White House meeting, US media reported yesterday.

Influencer Laura Loomer, known for her claims that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job, voiced her concerns to Trump on Wednesday, according to a report by The New York Times, which was later corroborated by other outlets.

The reported firings come amid scrutiny of the National Security Council (NSC) over a recent scandal in which a journalist was mistakenly added to a Signal app chat where officials discussed airstrikes on Yemen.

Following the Loomer meeting, six NSC members were dismissed, including three senior officials from the body responsible for advising the president on key foreign policy issues, including Ukraine and Gaza, The New York Times reported.

Loomer confirmed the meeting but stated on X that “out of respect for President Trump and the privacy of the Oval Office, I’m going to decline on divulging any details.” She later said she had provided “opposition research” to the Republican president.

When asked about the reported dismissals, Trump told reporters, “We’re always going to let go of people—people we don’t like or people that take advantage of or people that may have loyalties to someone else.”

While he described Loomer as a “great patriot,” Trump denied that she was directly involved in the NSC firings, saying, “She makes recommendations... and sometimes I listen to those recommendations.”

NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes declined to comment on personnel matters when asked by AFP.

Loomer, 31, frequently traveled with Trump on his campaign plane during the 2024 election. She previously sparked controversy with racist remarks, including a comment that Trump’s Democratic opponent Kamala Harris—whose mother was of Indian descent—would make the White House “smell like curry” if she won.

In recent days, Loomer has repeatedly targeted national security official Alex Wong—who was reportedly not among those dismissed—over the so-called “Signalgate” scandal that has unsettled the White House. She baselessly claimed that Wong was responsible for mistakenly adding The Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to the chat, despite National Security Advisor Mike Waltz taking responsibility for the error.

Trump has resisted pressure to dismiss Waltz over the controversy. Waltz was seen boarding Trump’s helicopter as the president departed the White House for Florida on Thursday.

US media reports suggest that some in Trump’s inner circle view Waltz as too aligned with neo-conservative policies rather than the president’s “America First” agenda. — AFP