Donald Trump on Friday defended Laura Loomer after some of the former president's closest allies this week raised concerns about his relationship with the far-right activist.
“Laura has been a supporter of mine. Just like a lot of people are supporters, and she’s been a supporter of mine. She speaks very positively of the campaign. I’m not sure why you asked that question,” Trump told reporters at a press conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle blasted Loomer, who repeatedly appeared alongside Trump this week — including at a Sept. 11 memorial event — as she promoted baseless and inflammatory remarks about immigrants on her social media accounts. Loomer lashed out at Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., in response to their criticisms.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
“I don’t control Laura. Laura — she’s a, she’s a free spirit. Well, I don’t know. I mean, look, I can’t tell Laura what to do,” Trump added on Friday.
Loomer's relationship with Trump came under particular scrutiny after the former president mentioned a conspiracy theory about immigrants eating pets during a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
Loomer did not immediately return a request for comment about Trump's remark Friday. Representatives for the Trump and Harris campaigns also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The baseless theory, which city officials and police have denied, originated online and spread through far-right circles.
Several of Loomer's posts on social media this week came under fire, including one where she nodded to a conspiracy theory about the 9/11 attacks.
"23 years later, and there’s still a lot of unanswered questions," Loomer posted Friday, alongside a video of Trump in 2001 questioning whether airplanes could cause explosions like the ones that happened at the Twin Towers on 9/11.
In another post, Loomer alleged that the "White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center" if Harris wins the presidential election.
That statement earned her condemnation from Greene, who called the comment "appalling and extremely racist."
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing Thursday of Loomer, “No leader should ever associate with someone who spreads this kind of ugliness, this kind of racist poison."
This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News: