Trump is only running to stay out of jail, says 9/11 responder and advocate

Far-right activist Laura Loomer, who joined the president in downtown Manhattan on Wednesday, has promoted conspiracy theories about 9/11 on social media

A September 11, 2001 responder and victims’ rights advocate said he believes Donald Trump is running for president “to stay out of jail” and doesn’t actually care about the American people after the former president invited far-right figure Laura Loomer to the 9/11 memorial.

John Feal, who was injured while working as a demolition supervisor at Ground Zero after 9/11, told CNN  on Thursday that he thinks the former president only cares about himself and has surrounded himself with other “self-absorbed” people like Loomer.

“Donald Trump’s not running for president, he’s running to stay out of jail,” Feal said.“I don’t care what anybody says.”

Feal’s comments arrived just a day after Trump appeared at the 9/11 memorial on Wednesday to honor the approximately 3,000 people who died. The former president brought his posse with him, including Loomer.

Loomer has a history of promoting a conspiracy theory that 9/11 was an “inside job” and has used the terrorist attacks to espouse anti-Muslim views. She recently made headlines for making deeply racist remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris.

John Feal, a 9/11 responder and advocate, said Donald Trump is ‘not running for president’ but ‘running to stay out of jail’ (CNN / YouTube)

Feal criticized Trump for “flying around” with Loomer, saying it distracts people from remembering the lives lost and those who are fighting illnesses related to the attack.

“I don’t think [Trump] cares about the American people, even in the debate or anything he’s done at his rallies he doesn’t talk about the issues that Americans face,” Feal said.

He also condemned Loomer’s racist remarks as well as the conspiracy theories she has promoted.

“To see this kind of rhetoric, it’s insulting to the family members, those who lost a loved one, those who are still sick. It’s pathetic, it’s comical but it hurts,” Feal said.

“On the surface she’s silly. Underneath all of that she’s an attention-seeking, self-absorbed, me, me, me. Her rhetoric is going to get someone hurt. Her rhetoric might get someone killed,” Feal said.

Loomer accused the media of lying about the content she shared and said it was only “about the accounting errors by our own government on 9/11.” She told CNN she didn’t understand “what the issue is” about her attending the memorial.

Loomer (center) outside Engine 4 Ladder 15, during a visit by Donald Trump on the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks (AP)

Feal has been advocating for responders and victims of the terrorist attack for 23 years. While helping with cleanup from the attack, a steel beam fell on his foot which forced him to have a partial amputation. But he was denied compensation because his injury occurred outside of the 96-hour window of the attack.

Since then, he has established a foundation that aims to help get funding for responders who got sick or were injured after the attack.

In 2019, he and comedian Jon Stewart lobbied for Congress to renew the 9/11 victim’s compensation fund.

Feal reminded people that on September 12, 2001, people came together to help one another and heal from the horrific event.

“Nobody cared what your skin color was, nobody cared what your religion was. We all came together. And here we are talking about a woman who needs to be medicated in a hospital and she’s flying around with the man who wants to be president? Give me a break,” he said.