Ex-staffer raises alarm that 'clown' Laura Loomer is bypassing Trump's chief of staff

During an appearance on MSNBC on Sunday morning, the former deputy press secretary in Donald Trump's first administration expressed alarm that conservative gadfly Laura Loomer has the president's ear on hiring and firings.

Speaking with the hosts of MSNBC's 'The Weekend," Sarah Matthews claimed she was told that there would be a firewall around Trump in his second term to keep him from following his worst instincts because of outside advice.

Asked by co-host Eugene Daniels, "I've heard a little bit of rumblings of some of the staffers around President Trump, who are actually supposed to have power and influence, getting a little frustrated with this happening with the Laura Loomer's of the world with definitely Elon Musk?" Matthews expressed dismay.

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"Well, you know, I was told that Susie Wiles was going to make sure that these kinds of clown-like figures weren't coming into the Oval Office or weren't getting on the phone with the president and having that kind of access to power," she replied.

"Obviously, it seems like you can only do so much; I think she has to kind of pick and choose her battles," she conceded. "And so with Laura Loomer, obviously she's still getting through to Trump, still being very influential in these hiring decisions or firing decisions."

"That is very scary to think that a far-right conspiracy theorist has the president's ear," she added. "And, unfortunately, she has a lot of power and some of these bad actors do too."

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