Texas Court Blocks Infowars Takeover by The Onion, Alex Jones' Empire Faces Closure

A Texas appeals court panel issued a brief ruling late Wednesday, denying an immediate transfer of Infowars—Alex Jones’ conspiracy empire—to a federal receiver. The decision delays further proceedings and puts at risk a previously agreed takeover by The Onion, the satirical news site. The emergency ruling was first reported by Ben Mullin, a media reporter for The New York Times.

While the stay offers temporary relief, it does not prevent Infowars from shutting down. The company is expected to cease broadcasting today, as no payments are being made for rent or operational costs. Alex Jones confirmed in a video posted on X that April 30 would likely mark the final day of operation for Infowars.

Global Tetrahedron, the parent company of The Onion, announced earlier this month that it had reached an agreement with Gregory S. Milligan, the federal receiver overseeing Infowars. The proposed deal would allow a new LLC created by Global Tetrahedron to lease Infowars’ physical studio and intellectual assets. However, the arrangement still required judicial approval.

In a court filing last week, attorneys for Milligan stated that the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims—who are owed over $1 billion in defamation judgments against Jones and Infowars—supported the plan. The monthly rent for the Infowars studio, according to the motion, totals $81,000. To date, none of the court-ordered payments to the Sandy Hook families have been made.

On Thursday, Jones took to X to announce that the receiver had stopped paying rent and other property-related expenses. For years, Jones has vowed that if Infowars were shut down, he would immediately resume broadcasting from a new studio. In the interim, he has been selling products on a new website, Real Alex Jones, and urging supporters to donate to keep the operation afloat.

Following Wednesday’s ruling, Jones celebrated on X, writing:

“We Give Thanks To God and Infowars’ Supporters For Standing Against These Pathetic Weasels.”

Jones then proceeded to falsely claim that the FBI and CIA were secretly behind the original civil lawsuits filed against him and Infowars.

This development is the latest twist in Jones’ and Infowars’ prolonged legal battles. The company lost multiple defamation lawsuits by default in both Texas and Connecticut, brought by families of victims and survivors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Jones had long promoted conspiracy theories claiming the massacre was a hoax, though he has inconsistently acknowledged his errors.

Both Jones and Infowars filed for bankruptcy protection in 2022. Since then, the Sandy Hook families have received no payments toward the $1 billion judgment owed to them.