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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump has downplayed the influence of Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur known for her incendiary social media presence, in his administration’s decision-making.

But the list of administration officials who have drawn Loomer’s ire and swiftly thereafter gotten the axe from Trump has been growing.

Among the latest is Dr. Vinay Prasad, the Food and Drug Administration鈥檚 polarizing vaccine chief, who announced this week he was leaving the agency after a brief tenure that drew the ire of biotech executives, patient groups and conservative allies of Trump. Prasad had recently become a target of right-wing activists, including Loomer, who flagged Prasad鈥檚 past statements criticizing Trump and praising liberal independent Sen. Bernie Sanders.

On Wednesday, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll directed the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to remove Jen Easterly, a newly announced hire who led the nation鈥檚 cybersecurity agency under President Joe Biden, shortly after Loomer criticized her.

Loomer, who has publicly encouraged Trump to purge aides who she believes are insufficiently loyal to the 鈥淢ake America Great Again鈥� agenda, has taken credit for some of the ousters, tearing into some of Trump鈥檚 allies and advisers and calling out what she calls a 鈥渧etting crisis鈥� within the White House. Trump, meanwhile, has long praised Loomer while distancing himself at times from her most controversial comments and downplaying her direct impact on his choices.

Here鈥檚 a rundown on connections between Loomer’s criticism and Trump administration departures:

Vocal opposition to Health and Human Services appointees

Two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Prasad was ousted following several recent controversies. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters.

Last week, Loomer posted on X of Prasad, 鈥淗ow did this Trump-hating Bernie Bro get into the Trump admin???鈥�

Prasad did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday morning. He joined the FDA in May after years as an academic researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, where he frequently criticized the FDA鈥檚 approach to drug approvals and COVID-19 vaccines.

Loomer was also vocal in opposition to Trump鈥檚 first choice for surgeon general, whose selection was ultimately withdrawn.

Trump pulled the nomination of former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat just before Senate confirmation hearings in May. Loomer had posted on X that 鈥渨e can鈥檛 have a pro-COVID vaccine nepo appointee who is currently embroiled in a medical malpractice case and who didn鈥檛 go to medical school in the US鈥� as the surgeon general.

Criticism for 鈥楤iden holdovers鈥�

Driscoll’s directive that West Point remove Easterly, shared facing harsh criticism from Republicans who argued that her work to counter misinformation about elections and the COVID-19 pandemic amounted to censorship.

On Tuesday, Loomer posted on X about Easterly鈥檚 new role at West Point, saying 鈥淏iden holdovers鈥� at the Defense Department were 鈥渦ndermining鈥� Trump鈥檚 administration.

Prompting departures at the National Security Council

On April 3, Loomer presented 鈥渞esearch findings鈥� to Trump, Vice President JD Vance, chief of staff Susie Wiles and others including then-national security adviser Mike Waltz, during an Oval Office meeting, according to people speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.

A day later, Trump said he had fired 鈥渟ome鈥� White House National Security Council officials, downplaying Loomer鈥檚 influence on the moves. The departures included the director of the National Security Agency, Air Force Gen. Tim Haugh, who also oversaw the Pentagon鈥檚 Cyber Command, along with Haugh鈥檚 civilian deputy at the NSA, Wendy Noble.

When reached for comment, Loomer referred The Associated Press to an X post, saying she was not going to divulge any details about her Oval Office meeting with Trump 鈥渙ut of respect鈥� for the president.

In a subsequent X post, Loomer appeared to take credit for the firings, writing, 鈥淵ou know how you know the NSC officials I reported to President Trump are disloyal people who have played a role in sabotaging Donald Trump?鈥� She noted, 鈥渢he fired officials鈥� were being defended by Trump critics on CNN and MSNBC.

Loomer called for Waltz’s ouster in the weeks following revelations he had mistakenly added The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief to a Signal chat being used to discuss military plans. As reports began to circulate that Waltz could be leaving the administration 鈥� he was ultimately nominated as United Nations ambassador 鈥� she appeared to take credit, writing 鈥淪CALP鈥� in an X post.

A 鈥榩ressure campaign鈥� targeting the Justice Department

Adam Schleifer, an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, received an email in March saying he was being terminated 鈥渙n behalf of President Donald J. Trump,鈥� according to a person familiar with the matter. The email came exactly an hour after Loomer called for him to be fired in a social media post that highlighted Schleifer鈥檚 past critical comments about Trump while Schleifer was running in a Democratic primary for a congressional seat in New York.

Earlier this month, Loomer took a victory lap after the Justice Department fired Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey and a federal prosecutor in Manhattan who worked on the cases against Sean 鈥淒iddy鈥� Combs and Jeffrey Epstein, three people familiar with the matter told The AP.

Comey’s ouster, Loomer said on X, followed her two-month 鈥減ressure campaign.鈥�

Has Loomer spoken out about others?

Yes, chief among them Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Loomer has called for Bondi’s resignation over failure to keep promises to release more files from the Justice Department’s sex trafficking investigation of Epstein, branding her a 鈥渢otal liar.鈥�

Earlier this month, following DOJ’s revelations that no Epstein 鈥渃lient list鈥� existed and no more files would be released, Loomer posted on X that she was told that FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino was 鈥渟eriously thinking about resigning鈥� amid his ongoing clashes with Bondi over the case. Weeks later, both Bondi and Bongino were still on the job.

What has Trump said about Loomer’s role?

In April, Trump denied that Loomer had anything to do with aides being ousted from their jobs at the National Security Council, calling her a 鈥渧ery good patriot and a very strong person鈥� who only made recommendations.

鈥淪ometimes I listen to those recommendations, like I do with everybody,鈥� Trump said then, adding: 鈥淪he鈥檚 usually very constructive. She recommended certain people for jobs.鈥�

Loomer was seen traveling with Trump during last year’s campaign, accompanying him on a trip to New York and Pennsylvania as he commemorated the 9/11 attacks. She also traveled with Trump to Philadelphia for a debate against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Loomer said she never officially joined the campaign after Trump鈥檚 allies preferred he would keep his distance.

After a Harris-related post on X , Trump called Loomer 鈥渁 supporter of mine鈥� with 鈥渟trong opinions,鈥� but denied knowledge of her comments. He later posted on his Truth Social account that he disagreed with what she had said.

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Kinnard can be reached at .