CNN anchor Abby Phillip has spoken out in defense of Laura Loomer, a Trump loyalist, who is embroiled in a dispute with Elon Musk, the CEO of X (formerly Twitter). The controversy centers around Loomer’s claims that her account on the platform has been restricted following her criticism of Musk and his views on immigration.
Loomer Accuses Musk of Targeting Her Account
Loomer, who has 1.4 million followers and previously held a verified account, alleged that Musk had limited her account’s monetization features and other privileges. This followed a public spat between the two regarding U.S. work visas for Indian tech professionals, during which Musk accused Loomer of trolling.
Phillip addressed the issue on CNN’s NewsNight, stating, “[Loomer is] saying that this is basically cancel culture—that Elon Musk doesn’t like what she’s been saying and has basically locked her out of the platform. It would not be the first time that he’s been accused of doing something like that.”
Coleman Hughes, a guest on the segment, criticized Musk’s actions, calling them hypocritical given his prior commitment to restoring free speech on the platform. Phillip added, “The free speech apparently doesn’t apply to criticizing Elon Musk.”
Laura Loomer And Broader Conservative Concerns About X
Loomer is not alone in her grievances. NBC has reported that at least 14 conservative accounts have raised similar concerns about being restricted on X. Musk responded to the criticism by posting a “reminder” that the platform’s algorithm reduces a user’s reach if they are frequently blocked or muted by others.
Musk wrote, “If far more credible, verified subscriber accounts (not bots) mute/block your account compared to those who like your posts, your reach will decline significantly.”
In response, Loomer has taken to X to demand the restoration of her account. One of her posts read, “Elon Musk has been a Republican for 5 minutes and now he wants to decide who gets to be a Republican. Elon, you said you were a free speech absolutist. If you are, let’s please let all ideas flourish, and we will let the best ideas win.”
Another post criticized Musk for allegedly stifling dialogue, “We want to have a conversation with [Musk], but he limits the convo by deleting our check marks and by calling [us] trolls. I’d be happy to have a conversation, but he limited my account. That’s a bad faith effort at conversation & debate.”
Laura Loomer Stirs Immigration Debate
The dispute between Loomer and Musk stems from a broader immigration debate, specifically around the H-1B visa program. The program allows U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers and has become a divisive issue within Trump’s base.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a former GOP presidential candidate recently appointed as co-chief of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), further fueled the debate with a controversial post on X. Ramaswamy expressed strong support for bringing “highly skilled” foreign workers to the U.S., criticizing cultural priorities that favor athletes and social figures over academic achievers.
“A society celebrating ‘the prom queen over the math olympiad champ’ and ‘the jock over the valedictorian’ will inevitably fail to produce the world’s best engineers,” Ramaswamy stated, even attributing the decline in America’s scientific leadership to 1990s sitcoms.
Trump Distances Himself from Loomer
While Loomer remains a visible presence at Mar-a-Lago, her controversial statements, including racially charged remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris, have drawn widespread criticism.
Former President Donald Trump addressed the issue at a press conference, emphasizing that Loomer is a private citizen and not part of his campaign. On Truth Social, Trump stated, “Laura Loomer doesn’t work for the Campaign. She’s a private citizen and longtime supporter. I disagree with the statements she made.”
Despite this, Trump appeared to offer tacit support, calling Loomer a “free spirit” and declining to criticize her remarks.
Also Read: What Is An H-1B Visa? Musk And MAGA Fight Over The US Work Visa
