Trump loyalist floats ‘gross’ theory that Casey DeSantis is ‘exaggerating’ cancer story

Trump loyalist calls for release of Casey DeSantis’s medical records to prove she is not a ‘campaign surrogate’

Laura Loomer is being called out for “vile” and “disgusting” comments in which she described Casey DeSantis’s battle with cancer as “over exaggerated”.

Ms Loomer, a far-right anti-Muslim activist who twice ran unsuccessfully for Congress and was in 2018 banned from Twitter for “hateful conduct”, said Florida governor Ron DeSantis exaggerated his wife’s battle with cancer in a desperate attempt to woo voters.

The Donald Trump loyalist called for the release of Ms DeSantis’s medical records to prove she is not being exploited as a campaign prop for her husband’s political ambitions.

“They even used it in a 2022 campaign commercial which is very tacky,” she tweeted, referring to Florida’s first lady, who uses her middle name Casey, by her first name Jill.

“They are welcome to release the medical records though to show that they aren’t exaggerating. Especially since they want to use her as a campaign surrogate and cancer as a way to appeal to voters.”

Mr DeSantis announced in Octorber 2021 that his wife was diagonosed with breast cancer and revealed in March 2022 that she was cancer-free after undergoing surgery and treatment.

Her battle with cancer inspired her to launch a fund for cancer research and care for Floridians and become “a champion for fighting cancer”, claimed her biography.

“You can’t say ‘my wife is a part of my campaign’ then also say ‘you aren’t allowed to criticise her because she had cancer’. She’s fair game,” Ms Loomer said.

The comments, raising doubts on Ms DeSantis’s battle with cancer, have outraged even Trump supporters, with one describing her as a “liability” for him.

Republican activist Laura Loomer shouts at Jack Dorsey as he speaks on stage during the cryptocurrency conference, Bitcoin 2021 (AFP via Getty Images)

“Claiming a young mother faked cancer is about the most reprehensible thing someone can do to score cheap political points,” tweeted Conservative commentator John Cardillo.

“Trump and Susie Wiles have disgraced himself by not condemning this disgusting lie (sic).”

Ian Haworth, a Washington Examiner host, said: “This is gross, even for you.”

Fox News contributor Joe Concha wrote: “One of the most disgusting, vile, patently and intentionally dishonest tweets you’ll ever read... as Laura Loomer claims Casey DeSantis faked her own cancer. This is beyond insulting, even for this person.”

Michonne Walker, who claimed to be a Trump supporter, said her comments were too much and “grotesque”.

Ms Loomer gained infamy for comments describing Islam as a “cancer” under the hashtag “#proudislamophobe”. In a 2017 tweet, she celebrated the deaths of migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

Ms Loomer, who is Jewish, was barred from Twitter in 2018 after she attacked congresswoman Ilhan Omar and called her “pro FGM [female genital mutilation]” and that she was “anti-Jewish”.

She was one of the controversial figures whose account was reinstated by Elon Musk following his takeover of Twitter.

She was also in line for a role working on Mr Trump’s campaign, The New York Times reported last month, citing people familiar with the former president’s conversations with his aides.

His aides, however, raised concerns over Ms Loomer’s inflamatory views, saying they could backfire for the campaign.