Laura Loomer, a far-right political activist known for making inflammatory and controversial statements, went after Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett from Texas in a series of posts on X, the social media platform formerly called Twitter. Loomer’s comments came after she saw another post that mentioned unverified claims about how Crockett supposedly treats her staff. Rather than sticking to the topic of staff treatment, Loomer used it as an opportunity to launch personal and racially charged insults toward the congresswoman.
In her first post, Loomer wrote, “Why are people surprised? This is typical DEI Shaniqua behavior.” The term “DEI” refers to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which some critics on the right often dismiss or mock. By combining this with the name “Shaniqua,” Loomer added an extra layer of offense. The name “Shaniqua” is often associated with Black women, and over the years, it has been used in a derogatory way to stereotype and demean them. Many people saw Loomer’s comment as a blatant example of racial prejudice disguised as political criticism.
Loomer didn’t back down after that. In fact, she doubled down on her remarks by tagging Crockett directly in another post. She wrote, “In the dictionary next to the word Shaniqua is a photo of Jasmine Crockett.” This was widely seen as an attempt to further ridicule Crockett in a way that played into racist tropes. The choice to single her out by name and attach a stereotype only heightened the backlash.
The response on social media was swift. Many users called Loomer’s language unacceptable and rallied to defend Crockett. One person bluntly told Loomer, “Please sit your racist behind down,” while another challenged her credentials, asking why, if she was so capable, she had not been offered a job at the White House. The criticism reflected not only outrage at the racial undertones of Loomer’s comments but also frustration with the way political debates often devolve into personal attacks instead of focusing on issues.
This is not the first time Crockett has been a target for such remarks from political figures on the right. Just days earlier, former President Donald Trump made his own insulting comments about her during a CNBC interview. He referred to her as “low-IQ” and, in a strange aside, speculated about whether she might be related to Davy Crockett, the 19th-century American folk hero and frontiersman. His tone suggested mockery more than genuine curiosity, and the remark seemed intended to undermine her credibility.
When asked about Trump’s comments during a CNN interview the following day, Crockett dismissed them, saying they showed he had nothing meaningful to contribute when offering criticism of her. She emphasized that instead of engaging with her ideas or her record, her opponents were relying on personal insults and racially charged rhetoric to attack her character. Her response suggested that she sees these kinds of comments as a distraction from substantive political discussion and as an attempt to discredit her without addressing her work in Congress.
