Alex Jones Reacts to The Onion Buying InfoWars

Alex Jones on Thursday remained defiant when reacting to the news that The Onion had bought his Infowars platform.

Infowars and most of its assets hit the auction block on Wednesday, leaving Jones waiting to see whether he’ll be permitted to remain on its online platforms or face removal.

The Onion, a satirical news publication, won the bid for Infowars thanks in part to the backing of families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, whom Jones owes more than $1 billion in defamation judgments. Among the assets The Onion acquired are Infowars’ website, social media accounts and its studio in Austin, Texas.

Speaking in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Jones said on Thursday that he was going to stay in the studio until “they come in here and turn the lights off.”

He then told his supporters to tune in to his AJN Live podcast before saying that “this is a total attack on free speech.”

Alex Jones’ Bankruptcy

The private auction was part of Jones’ personal bankruptcy proceedings following nearly $1.5 billion in defamation judgments levied against him. These rulings came after a judge and juries ordered the conservative host to compensate families of the 20 children and six adults killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, whom Jones repeatedly claimed were part of a staged hoax involving crisis actors.

Earlier this week, Jones said on his show that auctioneers were in the building that day to mark items such as tables and microphones. He also vowed to continue broadcasting on another format if his Infowars site does end up being shut down.

Jones Fought to Retain Infowars

On his show Wednesday, Jones disclosed that he has been collaborating with a group that submitted a bid, though he shared no further details. He expressed concerns that the trustee might overlook bids from his supporters. Earlier in the week, he alleged—without providing evidence—that the bidding process seemed “rigged.”

He warned that a sale to opponents could lead to an immediate shutdown. In preparation, Jones said he has already established a new studio, websites and social media accounts as a backup.

According to Jones, if opponents acquire Infowars’ assets and shut it down, he would “just drive down the road” to broadcast from a new studio he has prepared as an alternative.

Jones, who has since admitted the Sandy Hook shooting was real, is currently appealing the defamation verdicts against him.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.