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A Guide To Donald Trump’s Relationship With Alex Jones
Alex Jones is a conspiracy theorist who has repeatedly bragged about his communications and influence with President Donald Trump. Trump has frequently picked up conspiracy theories and narratives from Jones, including that the 2016 election was “rigged,” former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton founded ISIS, and millions of people voted illegally in the last election.
Jones Has Repeatedly Said He’s Communicated With President Trump
Trump Has Repeatedly Cited Or Pushed Claims That Were Traced Back To Infowars
Trump Confidantes Have Promoted Jones' Conspiracy Empire
Jones Has Repeatedly Said He’s Communicated With President Trump
Alex Jones Is A Conspiracy Theorist Host And Prolific Web Content Producer. Alex Jones is the host of The Alex Jones Show, which is syndicated by Genesis Communications Network. He also runs Infowars, which posts numerous articles a day promoting conspiracy theories, pro-Trump propaganda, and attacks against progressives. Washington Post reporter Manuel Roig-Franzia wrote in November that it’s “difficult to confirm Jones’s audience size, but the host has said he has 5 million daily radio listeners and recently topped 80 million video views in a single month. He claims to have a bigger audience than Rush Limbaugh. Jones is able to multiply his audience by simulcasting his radio programming via his website and further spreading its reach on his YouTube channel.” [The Washington Post, 11/17/16; Media Matters, 12/1/16]
Jones Promotes Toxic Conspiracy Theories. Jones has claimed that the government perpetrated the 9/11 attacks and the tragedies at Sandy Hook, Columbine, Oklahoma City, and the Boston Marathon, among others. He also alleges that a shadowy cabal of global elites is planning to kill or enslave most of the world’s population; argues the government is using airplanes to spray “chemtrails” to enact population control; and claims the government is putting chemicals into everyday products to turn children gay. [Media Matters, 12/1/16]
Trump Appeared On Jones’ Program During The Presidential Campaign And Praised His “Amazing” Reputation. Trump appeared on Jones’ program on December 2, 2015, and told him: "Your reputation's amazing. I will not let you down." [Media Matters, 12/2/15]
Jones Said He "Personally Talked To" Trump To Give Him Advice During The Campaign. Jones said in August that “when I came out over a month ago and had a special message to Donald Trump dealing with election fraud -- I personally talked to him as well.” [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show, 8/31/16]
Trump Reportedly Praised Jones For Having “One Of The Greatest Influences” He’s Ever Seen. Jones reportedly told author Jon Ronson that Trump complimented him as having “one of the greatest influences I’ve ever seen. … It’s greater than you know. Just know that your influence is second to none.” [Media Matters, 10/7/16]
Jones Claimed Trump Called Him To “Thank” His Audience After The Election. Jones said on November 11 that Trump personally called him to "thank" Jones' audience members for their support during the campaign. Jones boasted that the newly elected president “gave me a call, and I told him, ‘Mr. President-elect, you’re too busy, we don’t need to talk.’ But we still spent over five minutes. He said, 'Listen, Alex, I just talked to the kings and queens of the world -- world leaders, you name it.' But, he said, 'It doesn’t matter, I wanted to talk to you to thank your audience, and I’ll be on in the next few weeks to thank them.'” Jones added that Trump said it wasn’t a “private call” and told him, “I want to thank your viewers, thank your listeners for standing up for this republic. We know what you did early on and throughout this campaign to stand up for what’s right.” [Media Matters, 11/14/16]
Jones To Trump: “I Know That I Have Missed More Of Your Calls Than I’d Like To, Sir.” Jones stated in an “emergency” video directed to Trump: “I know that I have missed more of your calls than I’d like to, sir. I wish I always had the phone glued to me when you call. And I know that you’ve expressed your appreciation for the audience and what we do for this country.” [Media Matters, 2/22/17]
Jones Claimed Trump "Or His Sons" Watch His Program “Every Night.” Jones said during a video that Trump “or his sons, they end up watching these. They watch every night. We’re not bragging.” [Media Matters, 2/22/17]
Jones Said Trump Once Called “Three Times In A Row.” Jones said in February of Trump’s calls to him: “I know when he calls. He calls like three times in a row. I was on air. He gets confused. He called me and I missed the calls and I just feel guilty because who knows what it was about.” [Media Matters, 2/24/17]
Jones Claimed Trump Called Him To Ask If He’s “Happy” With His Performance As President. [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show, 4/5/17]
Jones: “I Talk To The President And I Talk To People Who Talk To The President Every Day.” [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show, 4/12/17]
Roger Stone: Trump And Jones “Talk From Time To Time.” Longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone said in late April that Jones and President Trump “talk from time to time” and indicated that Trump and Jones have talked at least three times since he’s been president. [Media Matters, 5/2/17]
Politico: Trump Staffers Used Infowars “To Show Trump Positive Coverage.” Politico reported that six former campaign officials said the “key to keeping Trump’s Twitter habit under control” was “to ensure that his personal media consumption includes a steady stream of praise. And when no such praise was to be found, staff would turn to friendly outlets to drum some up — and make sure it made its way to Trump’s desk. … A former senior campaign official said [former communications director Sam] Nunberg and his successor, former communications director Jason Miller, were particularly skilled at using alternative media like Breitbart, Washington Examiner, Fox News, Infowars and the Daily Caller to show Trump positive coverage.” [Politico, 2/22/17]
Trump Has Repeatedly Cited Or Pushed Claims That Were Traced Back To Infowars
Jones Said He Advised Trump To Say The Presidential Election Would Be “Rigged.” Jones said in August 2016 that he “personally talked to” Trump and encouraged him to push the conspiracy theory that the 2016 election was rigged against him. Trump later made the “rigged” election claim a major campaign talking point. Jones’ Infowars website later wrote that “Trump’s comments mirror Alex Jones’ warning.” [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show, 8/31/16; Media Matters, 10/12/16]
Trump Adopted The False Claim That Obama And Clinton Founded ISIS. Trump claimed during the campaign that Clinton and Obama were the founders of ISIS, echoing Jones and Infowars, who have repeatedly pushed that notion. Jones has also said that Clinton was “like the commanding general of Al-Qaeda and ISIS” and claimed that she and Obama are “the ones running ISIS.” [Media Matters, 8/12/16; Infowars, 4/12/16]
Trump Picked Up The False Claim That “Millions Of People” Voted Illegally. Trump has falsely claimed that he “won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.” The false claim was popularized by Jones’ Infowars website, which posted a story on November 14, 2016, headlined: “Report: Three Million Votes In Presidential Election Cast By Illegal Aliens.” [Media Matters, 11/28/16]
Trump Adopted The “Hillary For Prison” Theme After Infowars Popularized It. Trump repeatedly suggested during the presidential campaign that Clinton should be locked up. Roger Stone told Jones during a May 4 appearance that “Trump himself told me that he has seen so many of your supporters and listeners at his rallies. He loves the ‘Hillary for Prison’ T-shirts and he knows exactly where they came from. So Alex, I’m certain that he is grateful for your support.” Stone also told author Jon Ronson that Trump praised Jones for the “Hillary for Prison” theme, according to Ronson’s book. [Media Matters, 10/10/16]
Trump Claimed Media Outlets Have Been Covering Up Terrorist Attacks -- A Popular Infowars Conspiracy Theory. Trump claimed in February that the “very, very dishonest press” often “doesn't want to report” on terrorist attacks -- a narrative that has frequently been pushed by Infowars. The Washington Post also noted that “the kernel of the idea appears to have come from -- or at least been propagated by -- one of his favorite news sources: the conspiracy theory website InfoWars.” [Media Matters, 2/8/17; The Washington Post, 2/6/17]
Jones Took Credit For Trump’s Call To Audit The Federal Reserve. Jones has suggested that he influenced Trump’s call in February 2016 to audit the Federal Reserve. During a Facebook Live video, Jones said that he brought up the issue to Roger Stone, who reportedly said, “I’ll bring it up to him.” Trump later tweeted: “It is so important to audit The Federal Reserve, and yet Ted Cruz missed the vote on the bill that would allow this to be done.” Jones said of the tweet: "That is a huge move by Donald Trump up against the globalists." [Media Matters, 2/22/16]
Trump Cited Infowars Video About Alleged Mexican Drug Smuggling. During a July 2015 campaign event, Trump said he saw a “story in Drudge -- and big story, it’s all over the place now -- guys swimming across, and big bags of stuff, it’s drugs, swimming across the river.” Infowars wrote that Trump was referencing its work -- which was then picked up by Drudge -- writing: “Trump saw Infowars’ report last week which showed illegal aliens caught in the act of drug smuggling. … The footage, shot within minutes of [reporters Joe] Biggs and [Josh] Owens arriving at the border, served to further validate Trump’s earlier remarks regarding criminal illegal aliens coming in from Mexico.” Trump aide Dan Scavino Jr. also tweeted out a link to the Infowars video. [Infowars, 7/25/15; Twitter, 7/26/15]
Jones Took Credit For Introducing The Phrase “Enemy Media" To Trump. Trump has referred to the media as “the enemy of the American People!” Jones has taken credit for Trump calling the media the enemy, claiming that he relayed the term to Trump during a telephone call. [The New York Times, 2/17/17; Media Matters, 2/24/17]
Trump Tweeted Out A Link To An Infowars-Hosted Article That Claimed “Muslims Did Celebrate On 9/11.” In 2015, Trump falsely claimed that “thousands” of Muslims in New Jersey celebrated the 9/11 attacks. When he was criticized for his remarks, Trump tweeted out a link to a Bizpac Review article aggregated on Infowars’ website claiming that “Trump is telling the truth about Muslims celebrating in New Jersey on September 11, 2001.” Infowars also posted its own piece headlined “Trump Is Right: Video Describes How Jersey City Muslims Held Pre-planned 9/11 Rooftop Celebration.” [The Washington Post, 11/22/15; Twitter, 11/25/15; Infowars, 11/24/15, 12/2/15]
Trump Confidantes Have Promoted Jones' Conspiracy Empire
Roger Stone Introduced Trump To Jones And His Audience. Roger Stone is a longtime adviser to Trump. He is also a frequent host and contributor to Jones’ program. Stone said he helped set up Jones and Trump and “they hit it off.” Stone also said that Trump “has watched Infowars.” [Media Matters, 11/17/16; YouTube, accessed 11/29/16]
Trump Adviser Teamed Up With Infowars For Get-Out-The-Vote Pitch During Republican Primaries. In February 2016, Trump senior policy adviser Stephen Miller praised Jones and Infowars for having "been on top of ... the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and on the immigration issue." Miller then pitched Trump to Jones' audience, telling them that "if you want to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership, if you want to close the border, if you want to protect American jobs and wages, then you have to support Donald J. Trump." Responding to a question about whether anti-Trump Republicans might try to block Trump's nomination at the convention, Miller added, “The easiest thing to do if we want to have Donald J. Trump be our nominee is to show up and vote tomorrow in New Hampshire and then to vote in South Carolina and all across this country." [Media Matters, 2/10/16]
Donald Trump Jr. Has Tweeted Out Infowars Links And Retweeted Editor Paul Joseph Watson. Donald Trump Jr. has retweeted Paul Joseph Watson’s account over 30 times since October 2016, according to the Trump Twitter Archive database. Trump Jr. has also tweeted out links to Infowars “via” Alex Jones. [Trump Twitter Archive, accessed 5/3/17; Twitter, 7/28/16, 8/29/16, 9/8/16]
https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2017/05/03/guide-donald-trump-s-relationship-alex-jones/216263
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