RASPUTIN RESURFACES

During an interview with the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph in August of 2025, Laura Loomer, one of President Trump's fan based advisors discussed her growing informal influence inside political circles and staff decisions. She proudly intimated that one of her friends had commented that she sounded like Trump's Rasputin, confessing that she "somewhat embraced the comparison regarding her impact." The reference points to Gregori Rasputin, the controversial Russian mystic who held immense influence over Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra during the final years of the Russian Empire. Laura Loomer is one of a few powerful, close, informal, unelected advisors guiding President Trump's administration and staffing decisions. She is a far-right political activist, social media influencer and on-line provocateur known for spreading conspiracy theories (including claims about 9/11) and anti-Muslim rhetoric with frequent access to the West Wing. She holds no official government function, but she considers herself a purity or loyalty enforcer. She has been involved in the removal of numerous staff members and official actions across various federal agencies. Another informal advisor whose ubiquitous presence by Trump's side who has been conspicuous and raising questions is Natalie Harp. Harp acts as a deeply loyal aide who works out of the Oval Office as Special Assistant to the President. She facilitates day-to-day interactions, and travels with the president. She has a regular seat on Marine One. She was one of the lucky few joining Trump inside a catering container to be whisked out of Turkey under threat of attack by Iran. In the book "Regime Change" Trump was quoted to assert that "she is the only one who loves me as much as my wife." She regularly signs her letters to the president "with all my heart, Natalie." Encouraged by their, presumably unsolicited, fan club like behavior, Trump's female confidants have rankled supporters and opponents alike. Political leaders frequently rely on advise from informal consultants. To a surprising degree they often rely on the advice of unelected, unaccountable and sometimes shady individuals who could decisively shape their ideas and direct their actions. John Adams' wife Abigail reportedly gave her husband a massive amount of political, moral and domestic advice throughout their lives; President Andrew Jackson had his Kitchen Cabinet, composed of an informal group of trusted friends, journalists and political allies who advised him from 1829 to 1837; Woodrow Wilson had Colonel House; Nancy Reagan acquired astrologer Joan Quigley, hiring her to influence President Reagan's travel and meetings schedule; Hitler had Eva Braun; Mao Zedong had Zhang Yufeng; Francisco Franco relied on Admiral Luis Garrerro Blanco; Putin depends on Vladislav Surkov, "The Grey Cardinal of the Kremlin", and so on. While official cabinets and staff provide structured, formal policy advice, informal networks offer agility, a direct pulse on the electorate, candid feedback and unfiltered advice. Nonetheless, academics like Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Senior Associate Dean for Leadership Studies, and Steven Tian, Director of Research at the Yale School of Management are quick to caution us about increasingly more powerful unofficial advisors. Leaders are often outmaneuvered by their own trusted advisors as the leader becomes increasingly reliant on those subordinates. Close consultants might get giddy with power and lose the focus of their mission. An example of this happening would be the French Revolution, which morphed from a democratic movement to the "Reign of Terror" which led to the execution of more than 17,000 people. And some advisors might feel enticed by rapacious self-gain and profiteering under the guise of reform. Aside from these significant concerns, "Rasputin" seems to have made his reappearance in plays, songs and in stories recounting the mysticism surrounding this historical figure. A question that seems to keep popping up during relevant discussions is: "Is Rasputin's curse also alive again?" The curse refers to the famous legend that the Russian mystic predicted the violent fall and execution of the Romanov royal family shortly before his assassination in December 1916 ... Some things to consider. Theo Wierdsma