Fox News appears to be doing its best to keep viewers ignorant of the growing controversy involving Donald Trump and his latest association with racist conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer.
According to TV Eyes, a database of television news captions, Fox News has not mentioned Loomer a single time in the past week. The only mention of Loomer across the Fox platform includes a single fleeting mention of the conservative pundit by Fox News contributor and former George W. Bush aide Karl Rove during an appearance on Fox Business. Loomer was among those who helped Trump prepare for Tuesday night’s presidential debate.
“Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard, Laura Loomer—why didn’t somebody in that room say, ‘Mr President, they’re gonna be fact-checking,” Rove said during a discussion of Trump’s poor showing against Vice President Kamala Harris.
In fact, the only recent mentions in the database of the name “Laura” on Fox News were references to Fox host Laura Ingraham.
The apparent blackout extends to Fox News’ website, where there are no articles mentioning Loomer within the past year.
The story has been everywhere else. Loomer flew with Trump to attend the Sept. 11 memorial ceremony in New York City, even though she has promoted 9/11 conspiracy theories. Loomer is a racist who describes herself as “pro-white nationalism.”
Most recently she has promoted the bigoted lie that Haitian immigrants in Ohio have been eating pets (a smear repeatedly echoed by Trump and his running mate JD Vance) and said the White House would “smell like curry” if Harris wins the election.
Stories about Loomer have appeared in The New York Times, CNN, The Associated Press, The Washington Post, and dozens of other outlets.
Fox News is a part of the White House press corps and has correspondents who attend the daily briefing with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. It is unlikely that they would have missed the back-and-forth that occurred on Thursday when Jean-Pierre was asked about Loomer. Fox even streamed the briefing on its official YouTube channel.
Reporter: There is a woman named Laura Loomer who recently tweeted that if the vice president wins the election the White House will smell like curry, and White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center, among other things. She recently traveled with the former president, and I wonder if President Biden has read these remarks and his response.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre: Let me tell you our response from here. It is repugnant, these types of comments, it is un-American, to say these types of things—exactly the kind of hateful and divisive rhetoric that we should denounce, and should not—should not be a part of the fabric of this country.
Trump’s association with Loomer has been spotlighted and criticized by the Harris campaign and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and even close Trump allies including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.
In fact, the story has crossed over into the world of entertainment. On Thursday’s edition of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” the host referenced the issue in his monologue.
“Melania, you will be surprised to know, did not accompany her husband to the debate or to the 9/11 ceremony,” Kimmel said. “Instead, he was joined by another lovely lady, right-wing loony Laura Loomer, who is a 9/11 conspiracy theorist. She suggested it was an inside job.”
Even before she was joining Trump on his private plane, Fox News was aware of Loomer. They have reported on her stunts and antics several times, including her failed congressional run in 2020. Loomer even made a 2017 appearance on “Hannity.”
It is unclear why Fox appears to be downplaying Loomer, though they may be trying to assist Trump as he tries to appeal to voters outside of his conservative base. Affiliating Trump with an activist Greene described as “mentally unstable” before his campaign decided not to hire her —something Fox News reported on—could hurt his political fortunes.
The network may also be gun-shy about broaching the top of conspiracies. In 2023, Fox News reached a $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over the decision to promote pro-Trump conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
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