Laura Loomer flew to India to speak at a major conclave, then got publicly cornered over calling the country’s people “third-world invaders”

Far-right activist Laura Loomer was publicly challenged by veteran Indian journalist Rajdeep Sardesai at the India Today Conclave 2026 in New Delhi. Sardesai directly cited Loomer’s 2024 comments, including her claim that the White House would “smell like curry” if Kamala Harris became president, and her assertion that the U.S. was built by “white Europeans, not third-world invaders from India.” 

According to Newsweek, he accused Loomer of being “brazenly racist and Islamophobic” and said such “anti-Indianism, worse still Islamophobia and even worse racism” has “no place in today’s world.” Loomer offered a partial apology for some of her past social media posts, saying, “I shouldn’t have said some of the things that I said […] and I apologize if my remarks offended people.” 

She also defended her criticism of the H-1B visa program, stating her 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.”

Loomer’s apology did not last long, as she quickly returned to her hardline anti-Islam views

Loomer then tried to reframe her comments about Kamala Harris, claiming they were actually “pro-Indian.” She argued she was mocking Harris for allegedly distancing herself from her Indian heritage while campaigning. Harris has consistently stated she identifies as both Black and Indian American, reflecting her Jamaican-born father and Indian-born mother, and has rejected claims of shifting her identity for political gain.

Despite her brief apology, Loomer doubled down on her views about Islam almost immediately. She declared, “I believe that Islam is a cancer on the world,” and insisted, “I don’t believe that Islamophobia is real. I believe Islamophobia is a hoax.” She further said, “I believe that it should be illegal in the United States for Muslims to hold office.”

Just the day before the conclave, she had posted on social media that Muslims should be barred from working for the Transportation Security Administration, calling it a “national security threat.” She told the audience she had come to India to speak about what she described as a global threat, saying “everybody who is not a Muslim should really honestly be fearful of this ideology.”

During the session, Loomer also spoke about her close relationship with President Trump. She told the audience, “I just spoke to President Trump on the phone about an hour or so ago,” and said she had spoken with him “about three times” that week. 

She also read out a message she claimed was from Trump: “I love India. I love Modi and I love the Indian people.” Trump has also been making headlines recently, with reports covering his outrageous claim targeting a beloved former first lady on social media.

Loomer has grown more influential since Trump returned to the White House, with reported links to internal decisions, including the firing of key aides. She has been identified as a MAGA influencer driving White House threats against major companies despite holding no official role. 

She has also hinted at a potential future role in the White House should the opportunity arise. After the conclave, Loomer said she planned to continue traveling in India, visiting sites like the Taj Mahal and engaging with audiences on issues she views as important, such as combating Islamic terrorism.