How Alex Jones built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Alex Jones is an American far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist. He is the host of The Alex Jones Show and founder of InfoWars and Banned.Video, platforms known for promoting conspiracy theories and fake news. Jones has gained notoriety for his controversial views and dissemination of misinformation.
1996: Jones Switched to Radio with "The Final Edition"
In 1996, Alex Jones switched to radio, hosting a show named The Final Edition on KJFK (98.9 FM).
1998: Jones Released "America Destroyed by Design"
In 1998, Alex Jones released his first film, titled "America Destroyed by Design".
1999: Jones Founded InfoWars Website
Around 1999, Alex Jones founded the website InfoWars with his then-wife Kelly Jones.
2000: Runs for Texas State Representative
In early 2000, Alex Jones ran as one of seven Republican candidates for state representative in Texas House District 48. He withdrew from the race after a couple of weeks, stating he wanted "to be a watchdog on the inside".
2001: Jones's Radio Show Syndicated on 100 Stations
In 2001, Alex Jones's radio show was syndicated on approximately 100 stations.
2010: Produces "Police State 4: The Rise of FEMA"
In 2010, Alex Jones produced and directed the film "Police State 4: The Rise of FEMA", in which he claimed "conclusively proves the existence of a secret network of FEMA camps" and that "The military-industrial complex is transforming our once free nation into a giant prison camp."
2010: Show Attracted Two Million Weekly Listeners
In 2010, The Alex Jones Show attracted around two million listeners each week.
2011: Jones Had Larger Online Audience Than Beck and Limbaugh
According to Alexander Zaitchik of Rolling Stone magazine, in 2011 Alex Jones had a larger on-line audience than Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh combined.
2014: InfoWars Revenues Exceeded $20 Million
According to court testimony Alex Jones delivered in 2014, InfoWars then had revenues of over $20 million a year.
September 2015: InfoWars Store Made $165 Million in Sales
From September 2015 to the end of 2018, the InfoWars store made $165 million in sales, according to court filings relating to the Sandy Hook lawsuits filed against Jones.
December 2, 2015: Donald Trump appearance on The Alex Jones Show
On December 2, 2015, Donald Trump, then a presidential candidate, appeared on The Alex Jones Show. During the appearance Trump told Jones "your reputation is amazing. I will not let you down. You'll be very, very impressed, I hope."
August 2016: Trump recycles InfoWars video
During his 2016 presidential campaign, a few days before one of Trump's August 2016 rallies, InfoWars published a video claiming Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton had mental health issues, which Trump recycled in his campaign speech at the rally, according to Mother Jones.
November 2016: Jones's Show Reached 5 Million Daily Listeners
In November 2016, Alex Jones told The Washington Post that his radio show, then syndicated to 129 stations, had a daily audience of five million listeners and his video streams had topped 80 million viewers in a single month.
November 2016: InfoWars Site Reached 10 Million Visits
In November 2016, the InfoWars website received approximately 10 million visits, making its reach more extensive than mainstream news websites such as The Economist and Newsweek.
2016: Support for Trump Presidential Campaign
In 2016, Alex Jones indicated his support for Donald Trump during the presidential campaign.
2017: Two-Thirds of Funds Derive From Sales of His Own Products
A 2017 piece for German magazine Der Spiegel by Veit Medick indicated that two-thirds of Jones's funds derive from sales of his own products.
January 23, 2018: Announcement of collaboration on book
On January 23, 2018, Alex Jones announced he would be working with author Neil Strauss on his upcoming book, titled The Secret History of the Modern World & the War for the Future.
2018: InfoWars Store Made $165 Million in Sales
From September 2015 to the end of 2018, the InfoWars store made $165 million in sales, according to court filings relating to the Sandy Hook lawsuits filed against Jones.
2020: Support for Trump's re-election campaign
In 2020, Alex Jones supported Trump during his re-election campaign and called on demonstrations to be held on the premise the election had been "rigged" against Trump.
2020: Alex Jones Show Syndicated to Over 100 Radio Stations
In 2020, The Alex Jones Show was syndicated nationally by the Genesis Communications Network to more than 100 AM and FM radio stations in the United States.
2021: Funding the January 6 Trump rally
In 2021, Alex Jones partially funded and raised other funds to finance the January 6 Trump rally in Washington, D.C., that preceded the 2021 United States Capitol attack.
April 2022: InfoWars bankruptcy hearing
During the April 2022 InfoWars bankruptcy hearing, Jones's representative stated, "InfoWars is a prominent trademark in the conspiracy theory community and Alex Jones is equally as prominent".
December 10, 2023: Alex Jones reinstated on Twitter
On December 10, 2023, Elon Musk reinstated Alex Jones's account on Twitter, citing that if Jones said something false, Community Notes would correct him.
2023: Jones Launched Alex Jones Live Podcast
In 2023, Jones launched a new subscription-based podcast, Alex Jones Live. It was put on hold shortly after it began due to matters relating to his Sandy Hook case.
2023: Leaked Texts Reveal Creation of National File
In 2023, leaked texts from Jones's phone revealed that he created the website National File to evade social media bans on InfoWars content.
June 23, 2024: Planned liquidation of InfoWars
On June 23, 2024, Christopher Murray, Alex Jones's bankruptcy trustee, filed an emergency motion in a Houston court indicating his intent to sell InfoWars, shut down the website, and liquidate its assets, planning to "conduct an orderly wind-down" of operations and "liquidate its inventory."
November 14, 2024: Sale to The Onion halted
On November 14, 2024, a planned sale of InfoWars to The Onion, a satirical news site, was halted for review.