Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Tuesday said his planned visit to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s headquarters has been cancelled as a result of interference from far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump.
In a series of posts on social media, Warner explained he was scheduled to visit the Springfield, Virginia, location on Friday to connect with career intelligence professionals who work there, citing the engagement as a “core part of my responsibility to provide oversight and support to our intelligence community.”
The Democratic senator blamed Loomer for orchestrating an effort to get the plan scrapped.
“Over the weekend, conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer discovered the unpublicized, classified visit and launched a campaign of baseless attacks against both me and NGA Director Vice Admiral Trey Whitworth for hosting what has always been considered a routine oversight meeting,” Warner said. “In response to Loomer’s criticism, political appointees canceled the visit, just the latest example of an administration seemingly desperate to please Loomer.”
Warner blasted the decision to pull his appearance as “nakedly political,” while warning that the incident should concern both Republicans and Democrats alike.
“Members of Congress routinely conduct meetings and on-site engagements with federal employees in their states and districts; blocking and setting arbitrary conditions on these sessions sets a dangerous precedent, calling into question whether oversight is now allowed only when it pleases the far-right fringe,” he said.
Loomer celebrated the development on social media, writing: “LOOMERED”
The Trump ally had expressed her frustration about Whitworth’s invitation to Warner, who she described as a “rabid ANTI-TRUMP DEMOCRAT.”
“Clearly, a lot of Deep State actors are being given a pass in the Intel community to continue their efforts to sabotage Trump under the Trump admin,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday.
Loomer has also called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to fire Whitworth, who became NGA director in 2022 during the term of former President Joe Biden.
The NGA has yet to comment on the latest developments.
Loomer, an anti-Muslim extremist who has spread conspiracy theories about 9/11, seems to be an influential figure in Trump’s orbit. Earlier this year, several senior members of the National Security Council were fired from their jobs after Loomer reportedly pushed for their termination during a meeting with the president, accusing them of being disloyal.