How Donald Trump’s close friendship with glam conspiracist Laura Loomer, 31, is threatening to blow up his presidential run – as insiders say his campaign managers don’t care if he wins or loses
Nearly 50 days from the 2024 presidential election, there are signs that Trump’s presidential campaign is reeling and even at war – with itself.
Multiple sources familiar with the campaign structure are now questioning whether the two people running the 2024 operation – campaign co-managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita – should keep their jobs.
Despondency over the direction of the campaign has apparently been building for some time.
But, according to sources who spoke exclusively to Dailymail.com, Trump’s ‘disastrous’ performance in Tuesday’s ABC News debate against Vice President Kamala Harris and the decision to allow an infamous 9/11 conspiracy theorist to accompany the former president to September 11th memorial events, were the final straw.
Indeed, Trump found himself on his heels Friday, while holding a news conference at his own Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.
The decision to allow an infamous 9/11 conspiracy theorist (Laura Loomer, left) to accompany the former president to September 11th memorial events was one of the final straws.
Multiple sources familiar with the campaign structure are questioning whether the two people running the operation, co-managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, should keep their jobs.
The former president was asked why Laura Loomer, who once claimed 9/11 was an ‘inside job,’ was at his side on Wednesday.
‘Laura is a supporter… she has very strong opinions… she’s a free spirit,’ Trump told reporters.
‘I can’t tell Laura what to do,’ he replied when asked why she flew on his campaign plane on September 11 and stood by as he addressed firefighters at the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Company in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where terrorists crashed a plane killing 40 people on board.
‘I don’t know what she said,’ Trump said. ‘I’ll go take a look and release a statement.’
For the Mail’s sources that explanation does not absolve the Trump campaign of blame.
Campaign co-manager Susie Wiles, ‘had 100 percent control of the preparations for the [ABC News] debate and the Trump plane manifest,’ the Mail is told. ‘She has an iron grip on this campaign and has final say on all decisions… They are going to eat this pile of s***.’
When contacted by the Mail, the Trump campaign did not comment on why Loomer was allowed to fly with the president – but a campaign source distanced themselves from her.
‘She’s not a campaign staffer. She’s not part of the campaign. She was on this trip, but by no means is she part of the campaign in the official capacity,’ the campaign source told the Mail.
Meanwhile, outrage among prominent Trump allies over Loomer’s relationship with Trump is now exploding into public view.
‘Laura is a supporter… she has very strong opinions… she’s a free spirit,’ Trump told reporters in Los Angeles.
When contacted by the Mail, the Trump campaign did not comment on why Loomer was allowed to fly with the president (above, Loomer departing Trump’s campaign plane on Tuesday) – but a campaign source distanced themselves from her.
An array of Republicans from Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene to Sen. Lindsey Graham have denounced Loomer, with Taylor-Greene calling her past remarks ‘appalling and extremely racist.’
Sources tell the Mail that Loomer should never have been allowed to be seen with the former president, especially on September 11.
‘It was an insult that they allowed a 9/11 denier on that plane on 9/11,’ the Mail’s source said.
This person with insider knowledge of the workings of the campaign blamed Wiles.
‘Wiles controls who gets on Trump’s plane,’ the Mail was told.
Last year, Trump reportedly asked his team to add Loomer to the campaign payroll and he was rebuffed at Wiles’ direction. She was keeping ‘the crazies’ out, a person involved in the 2024 campaign told NBC News in April 2023.
But, the sources claim, ‘close to 50 days from the end of the campaign – Wiles wasn’t going to rock the boat by not allowing Laura Loomer to get on board.’
What’s more, the Mail’s sources claim that Wiles – who has taken a leave of absence from major bipartisan public affairs firm, Mercury – may have motivations that don’t include winning the election in November.
Mercury is a lobbying firm whose clients include Chinese technology company Alibaba and major American oil companies, although Wiles is not a registered lobbyist for the firm. It is common for campaign managers to have experience in the public affairs industry.
‘Wiles just wants to hold on to the end [of the election], because she has the potential to get herself some lucrative contracts,’ the sources say. ‘This is good for her corporate business whether Trump wins or loses.’
A Trump campaign source said she is ‘100 percent focused on ensuring President Trump wins.’
‘I can’t tell Laura what to do,’ he replied when asked why she flew on his campaign plane on September 11 and stood by (above) as he addressed firefighters at the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Company in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Indeed, Trump found himself on his heels Friday, while holding a news conference at his own Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles (above).
Additionally, according to sources, Wiles and co-manager Chris LaCivita have also ignored direction from Trump.
‘Trump asks them to do things, then he goes out on the rally stage and nothing gets done. Wiles and Chris LaCivitia just do what they want,’ sources said.
‘Any weasel-like, chicken s*** individuals who hide behind anonymity and push falsehoods against President Trump and his campaign team may as well declare their allegiance to Kamala Harris and the Radical Left Agenda, because they’re not helping the Republican ticket win,’ said Trump campaign Communications Director Steven Cheung. ‘President Trump has built the most professional campaign operation in history and he has said that Susie and Chris are doing a phenomenal job.’
Meanwhile, upheaval over the President’s performance at Tuesday’s debate has not dissipated.
In public, President Trump and his campaign surrogates insist that his performance, which has been panned by numerous observers and even prominent allies like Senator Graham, was a strong showing.
However, sources familiar with debate preparations have a much darker view of how it is being viewed by voters.
And – again – they blame Wiles.
‘Wiles controlled who was in the room prepping Trump. It was the same old people,’ sources said. ‘We weren’t involved. We had no idea what was going to happen.’
Two Trump campaign sources dismissed the finger-pointing.
‘The Trump campaign feels very strongly that President Trump won the debate,’ the Mail was told. ‘The exact same people who worked with President Trump on the first debate [against President Joe Biden] were the same people on the second debate.’
‘Susie and Chris report to the top of the organization. This is team effort. And to go and try to blame this on Susie or Chris is just nonsensical.’
DailyMail.com’s snap poll conducted immediately after the debate showed that 49 percent of debate-watchers thought Harris won, 45 percent said Trump had carried the night.
On Wednesday, the first full survey released after Tuesday’s showdown, showed Harris leading by five percentage points, ticking up slightly over the three-point lead she previously held in this poll.
Campaign co-manager Susie Wiles, ‘had 100 percent control of the preparations for the [ABC News] debate and the Trump plane manifest,’ the Mail is told.
Trump campaign sources told the Mail that the President’s team is still on course to win in November – and insisted that naysayers have a destructive agenda.
‘For someone to attack the most successful campaign operation that has ever been built to support President Trump… really raises a question about who they want to see win in the fall,’ the source said. ‘We know when we smell someone trying to create problems.’
In front of the camera, President Trump has stood solidly behind his team, telling reporters in August, ‘Susie is fantastic, as you know. And Chris is fantastic.’
But if Trump does decide to shake up the top of his campaign late in the race, it wouldn’t be the first time.
In June 2016, Trump parted ways with campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. On July 15, 2020, Trump axed campaign manager Brad Parscale.
But seven weeks out from when Americans go to the polls, Trump has not shown any willingness to make a change.