Trump Ally Laura Loomer Escalates MAGA Civil War With Wild Claim: ‘Tucker is Controlled by Muslims’

AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey.

Trump ally and longtime MAGA conspiracy theorist, Laura Loomer, launched a scathing attack on Tucker Carlson this week, publicly accusing him of being “controlled by Muslims” and therefore staunchly opposing Israel’s ongoing conflict with Iran. Loomer’s attacks on Carlson are just the latest fracture in the MAGA base over the Israel-Iran conflict.

Loomer joined Fox News host Mark Levin in accusing Carlson, whom Levin has nicknamed “Qatarlson,” of being in the pocket of Qatar – a key ally to both the U.S. and Iran in the region. Loomer’s accusation stems from a mid-May report in The Washington Examiner that dove into Qatar’s lobbying efforts in the United States, including the targeting of pro-MAGA influencers in order to get close to the incoming Trump administration.

The Washington Examiner’s Robert Schmad reported on Qatar’s big-dollar efforts in May, writing, “Perhaps Qatar’s biggest victory in its post-election right-wing media campaign thus far was securing an interview between Tucker Carlson and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in March. The interview, which has raked up nearly six million views across X and YouTube, was friendly, with Carlson praising the country.” Schmad added:

Qatar paid top dollar to ensure this interview took place. Foreign Agents Registration Act records show that Lumen8 Advisors LLC, a legal consulting company for which very little public information is available, helped facilitate between Carlson and the Qatari dignitary. The Embassy of the State of Qatar pays Lumen8 Advisors $180,000 per month “to provide media and communication coaching and consulting services.”

Loomer took that report a step further, claiming that Carlson’s interview with PM Al Thani was “a paid propaganda piece in which over $200,000 was paid by the Embassy of the State of Qatar for Tucker to interview a Qatari official, all while knowing HAMAS is an Iranian proxy and funded by Qatar.”

Loomer went on to attach a screenshot of the Foreign Agents Registration Act documents that Lumen8 Advisors filed regarding the interview, which she claimed was proof that Carlson was paid for the interview.

Now, to be clear, the documents do not appear to prove that Carlson was directly paid for the interview, only that the intermediary who set up the interview was. Additionally, Loomer engaged in bombastic and racially charged rhetoric while making her claims.

“Tucker Carlson wants you to think his thoughts on Iran are based and original, but he’s literally participating in paid for interviews by the Qataris, who are funding and providing pent houses [sic] and luxury lifestyles to the leaders of HAMAS in DOHA. Tucker should just be honest that he’s a mouthpiece for genocidal Muslims,” Loomer added.

She also went on to attack a key investor in Carlson’s new media company. “His media company was literally funded by a MUSLIM investor who is half Pakistani and half Iranian and who spends a lot of time in Qatar. And trust me when I say a lot of people in pro-Trump circles are very uncomfortable with this,” Loomer wrote, appearing to reference banker Omeed Malik, whom Carlson and his partner Neil Patel recently bought out.

“Tucker is controlled by Muslims. People need to wake up and stop pretending like this is a conspiracy theory. Qatar and Iran are buying off conservative podcasters to push pro-Islamist, anti-American and anti-Israel talking points to undermine President Trump,” Loomer added.

Loomer, who once described Islam as a “cancer” and declared herself a “proud Islamophobe,” has long been a controversial figure in the MAGA world. She stirred controversy during the 2024 presidential election as she traveled with then-candidate Trump on 9/11 to memorial services. Loomer’s presence with Trump stirred anger as she had suggested in the past that the 9/11 terror attacks were an “inside job.”

In recent weeks, however, Loomer has been seen as a driving force behind some of Trump’s key decisions, including removing his National Security Advisor Mike Waltz – who has since been named as UN ambassador.

Patel released a statement in response to Loomer’s claims. “Allegations that Tucker Carlson or Tucker Carlson Network took money from any foreign country for an interview or for any other reason are categorically and definitively false and defamatory. Neither Tucker nor TCN has ever taken a penny from Qatar or any foreign country,” Patel wrote on X, adding:

Those choosing to lie about him and question his motives instead of just debating him on the merits are just proving the weakness of their case.

Carlson’s interviews and wild claims – including that a demon physically attacked him – have raised eyebrows and sparked questions about his motivations in recent months.

Carlson fiercely debated the Israel-Iran conflict with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in a new interview this week, which led many observers to wonder why Carlson treated PM Al Thani and Russian President Vladimir Putin with kid gloves – while being willing to go so far as to call a sitting Republican senator a “sleazy feline.” Putin famously insulted Carlson after their February 2024 interview, saying he was surprised Carlson didn’t ask any “tough questions.”

“To be honest, I thought that he would behave aggressively and ask so-called sharp questions. I was not just prepared for this, I wanted it, because it would give me the opportunity to respond in the same way,” Putin told a Russian journalist following the interview.

Carlson’s softball interviews with the leaders of Qatar and Russia have been fodder for his critics to question his motives in pushing Trump not to support Israel or Ukraine militarily. Loomer, pushing baseless claims about Carlson having a financial interest to support Iran, has now brought those questions to the forefront of the ongoing battle between the isolationists and the more hawkish elements of the GOP.