Revealed: Lavish MAGA-influencer Qatar trip that has Trump ally Laura Loomer in a rage
“Are we now going to see coordinated posts from these individuals telling us ‘Qatar is our number one Ally,’” Loomer questioned.
A group of MAGA influencers recently took a luxury trip to Qatar, sparking criticism from prominent allies of President Donald Trump, who alleged the visit smacked of a foreign influence campaign, according to a new report.
In late November, right-wing internet personalities Emily Wilson, Caitlin Sinclair and Rob Smith flew to the Gulf state and documented their visits to a nightclub, upscale restaurants and a Formula 1 race.
But, the trip wasn’t just about leisure — it also included sit-downs with Qatari officials to talk over the country’s partnership with the U.S., The Bulwark reported.
The foreign visit ignited internal conflict within the GOP, as figures such as Laura Loomer and others accused the influencers of selling out to the Qatari lobby at the expense of Israel’s interests.
The controversy unfolds as the two nations — whose relationship has deteriorated, especially after Israel’s September strike on Doha — compete to win the support of the Republican Party.
Trump himself has been pulled in two directions.
While he has proclaimed himself the most pro-Israel president in American history and stands as a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump has also referred to Qatar— a country that gifted him a Boeing 747 jumbo jet in May — as a “great ally.” Moreover, he advised Israel to be “very careful” following its strike on Qatar, which enraged him and spurred him to push for a ceasefire in Gaza, according to The New York Times.
The influencers’ luxe trip took place around Thanksgiving, according to The Bulwark.
The trio — who have a combined social media following of over one million users — posted videos at the red carpet for a Formula 1 race, which can cost nearly $9,000 per ticket. They also enjoyed an audience with tennis star Serena Williams and appear to have eaten at Cipriani Doha, an upscale restaurant. It’s unclear who footed the bill.
Wilson, who hosts a podcast called Emily Saves America, spoke glowingly of her time in the Gulf state, saying it’s preferable to the U.S.
“Honestly it was amazing to finally feel safe and not be surrounded by homeless crackheads and criminals for once,” she wrote on X. “I could actually relax and enjoy myself.”
On her podcast, she added, “Wow, America’s like really third world compared to these places,” per The Bulwark.
Wilson also commented on the people of Qatar, noting that she viewed them far more favorably than Muslims residing in the U.S., whom she heaped scorn on.
“All the Muslims there are extremely smart, successful, and productive,” she said. “The ones [in the U.S.] and in the U.K. are the ones they don’t f****** tolerate in their country, and they kick out — that’s why they suck and they’re pieces of sh**.”
In response, a slew of MAGA influencers, some of whom are strongly aligned with Israel, attacked the trio for their apparent lack of scruples.
“Qatar appears to have sponsored a trip of conservative influencers to travel to Qatar for Thanksgiving, the same week President Trump signed an Executive Order proposing a 75 day review period to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign Islamic terrorist organization,” Loomer, a close ally of the president, wrote on X.
“Is Qatar paying these influencers to promote Qatar?” she added. “Are they going to register with FARA [Foreign Agents Registration Act]? Are we now going to see coordinated posts from these individuals telling us ‘Qatar is our number one Ally’ and that the Muslim Brotherhood isn’t a threat?”
Others in MAGA world soon piled on.
Ryan Mauro, a Newsmax contributor, wrote, “You’re watching hostile subversion campaigns succeed in real time, folks.” Seth Dillon, the CEO of conservative satire site The Babylon Bee, chimed in, writing, “Does Qatar pay better than Israel?”
But, the influencers defended their foreign travel, brushing aside claims they were being paid to promote Qatari interests.
“I genuinely can’t believe how clueless some people are,” Wilson wrote on X. Qatar hosts Formula 1 and people from all over the world fly in for it. Tourists, models, celebrities, fans. It is a massive international destination.”
Smith seized on Loomer’s critique that he shouldn’t visit the Middle Eastern state as a gay man.
“Either you don't really believe my safety was at risk, or you were actively trying to get me killed,” Smith wrote.
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