'I like men too': When Laura Loomer brazenly claimed 'Lindsey Graham is gay'

Laura Loomer asserted under oath that Lindsey Graham is gay, stating that her claims are backed by Trump insiders.

Laura Loomer, a right-wing influencer and Donald Trump associate, claimed under oath during a deposition that Lindsey Graham was gay.

“Several of President Trump’s staff have told me in confidence that Lindsey Graham is gay,” a claim she made during her deposition, but later defended on social media, asserting that she wished to avoid committing perjury.

Laura Loomer's bombshell claims against Lindsey Graham

At that time, Loomer brought a lawsuit against the HBO host Bill Maher, who has a documented history of anti-transgender statements, after he remarked on the Real Time with Bill Maher show during the campaign that the influencer could be "f---ing" Trump. In her court deposition, which her legal representatives made public in a filing, she stated that the joke ruined her chances of joining the White House staff following Trump's election in November.

However, Maher's lawyer, Katherine Bolger, brought up several contentious statements made by Loomer, which included implications regarding Graham's sexual orientation. In September, Loomer posted on the X platform: "When is Lindsey coming out of the closet? We all know you’re gay, Lindsey… and that’s ok."

"There's no reason why Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, needs to hide the fact that he's a gay man. Come on, Lindsey. I like men too. No need to hide. I want you to relieve yourself of your toxic closeted anger. It's 2024. Nobody needs to hide that they're gay anymore."

She went on to say, "I called him ‘gay’. It’s well-known. Several of President Trump's staff have told me in confidence that – that Lindsey Graham is gay."

She further claimed several people within Republican circles "told me that they've attended dinners where he's brought male significant individuals with him -- like, significant others."

"I will say that he never denied being gay after I said that," she added.

‘I’m not gay,’ Graham defended himself

Graham, who remained single throughout his life and had no kids, consistently refuted claims regarding his sexual orientation. His status as an unmarried man did not serve as proof of being gay.

In 2018, following a crude insinuation made by comedian Chelsea Handler, Graham addressed the matter directly. "To the extent that it matters, I’m not gay," he stated, condemning Handler’s remarks as detrimental to the nation.

Notwithstanding these rumors, Graham upheld his anti-LGBTQ+ policy positions throughout his entire political career. Furthermore, he contributed to the formulation and enactment of SESTA/FOSTA, a series of laws implemented during the Trump administration that purported to combat trafficking by targeting online sex work, while reportedly increasing risks for sex workers. In addition, Graham sponsored the EARN IT Act in 2020, which further aimed at regulating online sex work.

LIndsey Graham's opposition to LGBTQ+ equality

Graham cast his vote in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act while serving in the House in 1996, as per The Advocate. This legislation established the definition of marriage for federal purposes as the union of one man and one woman, and it permitted states to refuse recognition of same-sex marriages conducted in other jurisdictions.

Subsequently, he endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment that sought to define marriage strictly as the union of one man and one woman. In his remarks supporting this amendment, Graham contended that judges should not have the authority to alter the definition of marriage.

In 2010, Graham opposed the legislation aimed at repealing "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," a policy that compelled lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members to hide their sexual orientation in order to serve in the army.

In 2013, Graham also opposed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which aimed to prevent workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill received bipartisan support in the Senate, passing with a vote of 64-32, yet it was not considered by the Republican-controlled House.

Following the Supreme Court's 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which established nationwide marriage equality, Graham stated that he would respect the ruling, although he made it clear that he was against it.

In 2022, Graham opposed the Respect for Marriage Act, which annulled the Defense of Marriage Act and mandated federal and interstate acknowledgment of legally conducted same-sex and interracial marriages. The Senate approved the bill with a vote of 61-36, receiving backing from 12 Republican senators. Graham was one of those who voted against it.

LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, such as GLAAD, have consistently condemned Graham's track record, particularly his stance against marriage equality and federal protections against discrimination.