'Whitewashing Laura Loomer': AP interview sparks backlash on social media

Critics say the Associated Press devoted too little attention to Laura Loomer's history of anti-Muslim rhetoric and conspiracy theories US far-right political activist Laura Loomer (front and left) during a visit to a DTEK electricity substation to meet energy workers and observe the country’s power infrastructure impacted by the war and Russian attacks in the Kyiv region, Ukraine, on 26 July 2026 (DTEK/AFP) Published date: 29 July 2026 19:32 BST | Last update: 8 sec ago The Associated Press is facing backlash after publishing an interview with Laura Loomer, the far-right activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump, during her visit to Ukraine. The article quickly drew criticism from journalists, commentators and social media users, many of whom accused the news agency of attempting to "whitewash" one of the US's most controversial figures. Loomer has long been one of the most polarising figures in US conservative politics, having repeatedly drawn condemnation for anti-Muslim rhetoric, racist remarks and conspiracy theories. Critics argued that the AP's focus on her recent comments about Ukraine risked overshadowing that record and portraying her as a more conventional political figure. The backlash followed Loomer's apparent shift in her public stance on Ukraine after interviewing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on 23 July. She said she had previously believed Ukraine was "full of Nazis", but that her visit had changed her views. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In a post on X three days later, she argued Ukraine had some of Europe's strongest anti-antisemitism laws and said Zelenskyy had told her there were "no Nazis in Ukraine". Criticism spreads online Journalist Mehdi Hasan criticised the AP interview, noting that only three of its 32 paragraphs focused on Laura Loomer's history of anti-Muslim rhetoric and conspiracy theories. He described the profile as "glowing" and "normalising". 32 paragraphs in this glowing, normalizing profile of anti-Muslim bigot & conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer. Only 3 of them are devoted to her anti-Muslim bigotry & conspiracy theorizing.Truly disgusting & depressing. Our mainstream media is broken.https://t.co/20UUcW06TK https://t.co/5iAzbU9c7y— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) July 28, 2026 Journalist Glenn Greenwald described the interview as part of an "instant media rehabilitation" of Laura Loomer, following her support for Ukraine. He compared it to what he said was the media's changing portrayal of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after she backed Kyiv, and questioned whether Loomer's apparent reversal was linked to reports of Russia supplying Iran with intelligence and weapons, and Ukraine-Iran tensions. Amazing to watch this instant media rehabilitation of Laura Loomer now that she reveres Ukraine, just like they did with Giorgia Meloni (soon as Meloni showed vehement support for Kiev, she went from "Mussolini-type fascist" to strong, stable, modern-day EU leader with glossy… https://t.co/Oh0wKj4YhP— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 27, 2026 Hasan Piker, a leftist political influencer, argued that mainstream media would "rehabilitate" someone who made what he called "an opportune pivot" on Ukraine, writing: "I guess you can be an unhinged fascist Islamophobe who's working closely with the Trump admin... MSM will rehabilitate you without a second thought." i guess you can be an unhinged fascist islamaphobe who’s working closely with the trump admin but if you make an opportune pivot to merge the russian conflict with the iranian one in a way that suits the interests of nato atlanticists & the israel 1st folks, msm will rehabilitate… https://t.co/1X6rXpi5Uh— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) July 28, 2026 Both the AP and Loomer were accused on X of supporting Israel's military campaign in Gaza by Iranian academic Seyed Mohammad Marandi. X user Zei Squirrel similarly argued that the interview reflected a broader pattern across western media of portraying Loomer favourably, pointing to a BBC video about her as another example. it's not just the AP, it's all of them. Here's the BBC gushing over Laura Loomer praising Azov Nazis for having "tougher laws against anti-Semitism than the US". They're all revealing what they really are: genocidal Zionist Jewish supremacists who believe all those who are mass… https://t.co/mJUqE1F7pt pic.twitter.com/jBdlDmhDGv— ☀️👀 (@zei_squirrel) July 28, 2026 X user Nahia Sanzo Ruiz de Azua argued that the interview portrayed Laura Loomer as a "totally normal person" despite what she described as her anti-Muslim views, suggesting her support for Ukraine had overshadowed criticism of her past rhetoric. Similarly, X user Arturo Dominguez wrote: "Normalizing racists is never ok." The controversy soon spread beyond the AP interview itself, evolving into a broader debate over how mainstream media should cover polarising political figures whose public positions shift on major geopolitical issues. Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.