Laura Loomer, a far-right activist who says she speaks frequently with President Donald Trump, was publicly challenged in New Delhi by Indian journalist Rajdeep Sardesai on Saturday over her past anti-India posts and remarks about Islam during a session at the India Today Conclave 2026.
Loomer, known for her anti-Muslim rhetoric and for promoting conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and the 9/11 terror attacks, has grown increasingly influential since Trump returned to the Oval Office. She has been linked to internal White House decisions, including the firing of key aides, yet her inflammatory views make her a deeply divisive figure.
Her comments in New Delhi arrive as U.S. politics grow ever more polarized, reigniting debates over the balance between free speech and offensive discourse. The controversy mirrors domestic tensions, such as the backlash over Tennessee Republican Representative Andy Ogles' remarks on Monday claiming that Muslims "don't belong in American society," which drew widespread criticism.
During a moderated conversation at the India Today Conclave 2026, Loomer said, "I just spoke to President Trump on the phone about an hour or so ago," adding that she often advises him and had spoken with him "about three times" that week. She read a message she said was from Trump: "I love India. I love Modi and I love the Indian people."
Pressed about her record, Loomer reiterated sweeping claims about Islam, saying, "I believe that Islam is a cancer on the world," and "I don't believe that Islamophobia is real. I believe Islamophobia is a hoax." She also said, "I believe that it should be illegal in the United States for Muslims to hold office."
These remarks followed a post on X Friday in which the self-described investigative journalist declared that Muslims should be barred from working for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), calling it a "national security threat."
Civil rights groups and political figures have previously condemned her remarks, suggesting it could incite violence and "cost lives."
Asked about earlier social media posts that angered Indians, Loomer said some posts were deleted after her account was locked and added, "I shouldn't have said some of the things that I said [...] and I apologize if my remarks offended people," while maintaining her criticisms of the H-1B visa program.
"My job is to speak for Americans and to stand up for American interests and our immigration laws have been exploited and abused and our labor laws have also been exploited and abused," she told the crowd.
Towards the end of the interview, Sardesai, a veteran Indian television anchor and author who serves as a senior journalist at the India Today group, appeared to interrupt proceedings from the audience, confronting Loomer on her past comments.
He cited comments from 2024 in which she said the White House would "smell like curry" if then Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris became president and that the U.S. was built by "white Europeans, not third‑world invaders from India."
Sardesai said expressing regret was insufficient, accusing Loomer of being "brazenly racist and Islamophobic," and told her that such comments amounted to "anti‑Indianism, worse still Islamophobia and even worse racism," which he said had "no place in today's world."
Loomer rejected the criticism, saying she did not believe Islamophobia was real.
"I believe Islamophobia is a hoax," she said, arguing the term is used to suppress criticism of Islam and claiming it was not irrational to fear what she described as an ideology that "explicitly calls for the killing of non‑Muslims." She told the audience she had come to India to speak about what she portrayed as a global threat, saying that "everybody who is not a Muslim should really honestly be fearful of this ideology."
Loomer also defended past remarks about Harris, saying they were intended to criticize what she described as the Democratic presidential nominee distancing herself from her Indian heritage while campaigning. She argued Harris had emphasized her Indian identity earlier in her career before later identifying as Black, framing Loomer's comments as an attempt to mock what she called political pandering. "If anything, my comments were actually pro‑Indian," she said.
Harris has long said she identifies as both Black and Indian American, reflecting her Jamaican‑born father and Indian‑born mother, and has rejected claims that she shifts her identity for political gain, saying in past interviews and writings that she was raised to embrace both her South Asian heritage and her identity as a Black woman.
During the India event, Loomer indicated she plans to continue traveling in the country, including visiting cultural sites like the Taj Mahal, and engaging with audiences on issues she views as important, such as combating Islamic terrorism. She also reiterated her desire to remain an influential voice in U.S. politics, hinting at a potential future role in the White House, should the opportunity arise.