Right-wing Laura Loomer, one of US President Donald Trump’s most prominent online supporters, reportedly received thousands of dollars from private clients in exchange for publishing political messages on her social media account without disclosing the payments, The Washington Post revealed in an investigation.

The investigation draws on accounts from former Trump campaign advisor Alex Bruesewitz and three other individuals familiar with the arrangements. Two of the sources said they personally paid Loomer to publish political posts on X, while another said they supervised clients who paid her for the same purpose. The sources spoke anonymously.

Financial records reviewed by The Washington Post, including bank transaction emails and a wire transfer statement, appear to document four payments totaling more than $60,000 since May 2025. The money was transferred to Loomer and King Breaker Media, a Florida-based company registered in her name. Although the documents do not specify the purpose of the transactions, two individuals familiar with the arrangements told the newspaper that the payments were connected to political posts.

Bruesewitz, who first raised the allegations publicly on X on Thursday, acknowledged to The Washington Post that he had paid Loomer for political posts through his consulting firm, X Strategies, during the previous year. He said the posts concerned policy issues but declined to identify the clients involved. Despite having facilitated the arrangements himself, Bruesewitz argued that the practice requires greater transparency, saying it had “gotten out of hand.”

Loomer rejected the accusations that she had been paid to publish political messages, disputing Bruesewitz’s account and maintaining that her work involved research rather than paid political promotion. She told the newspaper that his firm had approached her seeking research services.

“He paid me to make a one-page research document for him, and then he wanted me to distribute the information. And that’s what I did,” Loomer said. When questioned about the nature of the distribution, she said, “Either X or maybe an article.”

She further maintained that Bruesewitz had commissioned a research document and indicated that he would arrange for its distribution. Loomer accused him of “lashing out” at her because of her political beliefs.

Loomer’s alleged rates and access to Trump

People who told The Washington Post they had paid Loomer or supervised payments to her portrayed her as an influential political messenger whose online reach could help clients bring their positions directly to Trump. Two of the individuals said her fees ranged from $3,000 to $5,000 per post, and sometimes exceeded that amount.

Loomer denied having a fixed rate for her consulting work, rejecting the reported figures. “I certainly don’t charge $5,000 for a tweet,” she said.

Jared Holt, a senior researcher at Open Measures, which monitors online extremism and disinformation, also highlighted Loomer’s proximity to the US president and her influence within right-wing political circles. “This is somebody that has a tremendous amount of influence and access to the president’s ear,” he told the newspaper.

Loomer, 33, has accompanied Trump on trips and held private meetings with him in the Oval Office during his second term. Her relationship with the president has also generated friction within his administration, particularly after she publicly targeted several senior defense and national security officials, some of whom were subsequently dismissed.

Trump previously said that Loomer was a “very nice person” and a “patriot”. After the White House dismissed National Security Council staff members whom she had accused of disloyalty last year, Trump denied that she influenced the decision, while acknowledging that she made recommendations concerning dismissals. “Sometimes I listen to those recommendations,” he said.

The White House declined to comment on the allegations. Loomer, meanwhile, told The Washington Post that confidentiality agreements prevented her from discussing the terms of most client arrangements, adding that her accountant handled her invoices.

Lack of transparency raises concerns over political advertising

The accusations have renewed questions about the growing business of paid political messaging on social media, where online personalities can promote political positions without the same disclosure requirements governing conventional advertising.

While the Federal Trade Commission requires influencers and other online figures to disclose payments for commercial endorsements, the agency does not have jurisdiction over political advertisements. This leaves paid political messaging operating in a regulatory gap that advocacy groups have increasingly called on authorities to address.

The Campaign Legal Center petitioned the Federal Election Commission last year to consider requiring “paid for by” disclosures on political posts published by influencers, arguing that such measures would help voters assess the messages appearing on their social media feeds. California Governor Gavin Newsom has also signed legislation introducing penalties for influencers who publish paid political messages without disclosing the payments.

Holt warned that the lack of transparency surrounding political influencers could further undermine public confidence in online content, making it difficult for audiences to determine whether political messaging reflects genuine personal convictions or undisclosed financial arrangements.

Loomer has repeatedly maintained that her political advocacy reflects her own beliefs. In an interview for The Bulwark in May 2025, she said she was “not paid for [her] posts.”

Selectivity in post choice

One individual who said they had paid Loomer on behalf of clients told The Washington Post that she was selective about the positions she promoted and would only publish messages with which she agreed. The source added that some potential clients avoided working with her because of her polarizing reputation, while others sought her out because they believed she had direct access to the White House.

Underlining the risks of employing her as a political messenger, the individual compared her to a “nuclear bomb”, adding, “You have to be careful how to use that,” and, “It’s effective but also turns a lot of things to s— if you’re not careful.”

Loomer interpreted the characterization positively, responding, “I’m glad people find me to be effective and think I have a good reach,” before adding, “I’m not going to apologize for monetizing the fact that people fear me.”

Separately, shortly after The Washington Post raised the accusations with her, Loomer announced that she would temporarily suspend her online program, Loomer Unleashed, citing plans to focus on her personal life, upcoming wedding, and work-life balance. She said the announcement had been scheduled in advance.