Alex Jones says Infowars could be shut down within hours

In what he described as an “emergency broadcast” on Saturday, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones claimed that his far-right news company, Infowars’, studios in Austin, Texas, might be shut down by federal authorities soon.

“This is going to be Infowars’ last show, because I learned yesterday that they were going to padlock the door and kick us out last night,” Jones said while on Infowars on Saturday.

On the same day, Friday, May 31, the news outlet published an article saying it might be shut down in 48 hours.

Newsweek contacted Infowars by email on Sunday morning for comment and any evidence of the alleged attempt to shut down the company’s studios .

Jones said that he spotted “guards looking at me weird” at the entrance of the Infowars building and believed that his company was going to be shut down.

“I went with my instinct[…]and discovered this plan to shut us down,” he said, after mentioning he questioned the guards about what was happening on Friday night.

“I discovered this and a bunch of other stuff that I haven’t released yet,” he added. He claimed he spent the night at the studios to prevent them from being shut down, and threatened to call local police.

The Infowars host said he had all the evidence to prove the alleged attempt to shut down his studios, but did not seem so sure that it would actually be happening himself. “There’s a 50 percent chance this is happening right now,” Jones said in a post published on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday.

“They want us shut down because in bankruptcy and what was happening we have a path with the judge to continue on for years, and the judge has signaled that. So, different groups involved in the bankruptcy that will be exposed soon have literally made a move to shut this place down and end my show,” he added.

Jones claimed that “the deep state” was “making a move to shut down Infowars” after allegedly going after Donald Trump, who on Thursday was found guilty by a New York jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records over a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

While on air on Saturday, the conspiracy theorist broke into tears. “We’re going to beat these people. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but it’s been a hard fight,” Jones said.

“I’ve been targeted for abuse. I was duped by someone. Federal files in secret have claimed that I’m committing crimes. This was untrue, of course[…]This may be my final performance.”

Jones received the immediate support of MAGA Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who posted a photo with Jones on X writing: “I stand with Alex Jones.”

Greene is known to have shared several wild conspiracy theories in previous years, including claiming that Parkland survivor and activist David Hogg was a “paid actor” in a stage mass shooting.

Newsweek contacted Greene’s spokesperson for comment by email on Sunday morning.

Jones is currently facing huge legal expenses after being ordered in 2022 to pay nearly $1.5 billion for calling the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut a hoax.

Later in the same year, the Infowars host filed for personal bankruptcy, a move that is often used to stave off legal judgments. But in October 2023, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston, Texas, ruled that Jones is not protected by the bankruptcy and still needs to pay the nearly $1.5 billion in damages to families affected by the Sandy Hook shooting.

Since then, he has been scrambling to handle the payments. In December, Jones proposed a settlement that would pay the families at least $5.5 million every year over 10 years, but the plaintiffs said the offer fell “woefully short.”

Last week, he obtained approval for the $2.8-million sale of his Texas ranch. The money will be put into an escrow account to pay for his legal expenses.