Alex Jones’s media company, the self-styled defender against so-called "fake news," is now the property of the very people it relentlessly defamed.
What Happened: The Onion, America's premier satirical news outlet, acquired Jones' Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, according to the Associated Press. The publication’s backers were none other than the families of Sandy Hook victims.
Observers praised the deal as poetic justice, considering Jones owes over $1 billion in defamation judgments against those families.
The price of the acquisition is not yet known.
Relatives of the 26 Sandy Hook victims — 20 children and six educators — sued Jones for defamation and emotional distress. The 50-year-old video blogger repeatedly called the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, a "hoax" staged by actors.
Jones, who has garnered sympathy from right-wing personalities like Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson, confirmed the acquisition in a visibly distressed social media video, blaming “Democrats.”
Broadcasting live from Infowars headquarters, he declared his intent to file legal challenges, with some of his followers even calling on Musk, the owner of X, to provide financial support.
In the video, Jones delivered his usual mix of ominous announcements and unfiltered panic: "Last broadcast now live from Infowars studios. They are in the building. Are ordering shutdown without court approval."
Head in his hands, he looked like a man grappling with a reality far more surreal than any he'd concocted.
Jones supporters and detractors, alike, had shown interest in buying Infowars.
What’s Next: Chicago-based Onion, which jokingly claims to have "4.3 trillion daily readers," has yet to announce its plans for Infowars' web and social media platforms, studio, trademarks or video archive.
One can only imagine the possibilities for a company whose taglines have sparked countless "Is this real?" double-takes.
Jones, who filed for bankruptcy in 2022, will refuse to stay quiet. The conspiracy theorist, known for hawking supplements and survival gear, has vowed to continue his broadcasts in some manner.
But with The Onion now owning Infowars, it looks like Jones' journey from conspiracy theorist to punchline is nearly complete.
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