(Photo illustration by Bill Kuchman/The Bulwark | Photos: Getty, Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP, Shutterstock)

RIGHT-WING ACTIVIST LAURA LOOMER has been on a surprise whirlwind tour of Ukraine to drum up positive press about the country, meeting soldiers, visiting bomb sites, and even sitting for a friendly interview with Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky.

All of this has her erstwhile allies in the traditionally anti-Ukraine MAGA movement wondering: What is Loomer up to and, more importantly, who’s paying her off?

“You’ve got to ask yourself what in the name of sweet holy hell is going on here?” asked right-wing commenter David Freiheit, who goes by the name “Viva Frei.”

Alex Jones, who once frequently hosted Loomer on InfoWars, quipped that Loomer should stay out of global politics and go back to eating dog food. Loomer retorted that Jones should pay the Sandy Hook families the money he owes them.

But if Loomer’s embrace of the Ukrainian war effort hasn’t impressed the MAGAverse, it has earned positive mentions from one key figure: Donald Trump. The president reposted a video of Loomer interviewing Zelensky with the caption: “Very Good!!!”

Loomer herself has acknowledged that she has made a complete 180 when it comes to Zelensky and Ukraine.

“I’ll admit, I’ve said some pretty terrible things about Ukraine, and terrible things about you as well!” she told Zelensky during their interview.

All of which has further confused former allies and longtime Loomerologists. As someone who’s devoted a good portion of his professional life to mulling over Loomer’s unique psychology, I too have been curious. What should we make of it? I have a few theories.