Infowars, an unabashedly pro-Trump website responsible for peddling outlandish conspiracy theories and outright untruths involving Hillary Clinton during last year’s presidential race, may soon have a place in the White House press room.
Alex Jones, the embattled brains behind Infowars, insisted Tuesday that his website is in the process of gaining routine access to President Trump’s White House.
Infowars has already been granted a “weekly” White House press pass and is “pending getting our regular passes,” Mr. Jones said during Tuesday’s broadcast of “The Alex Jones Show,” his daily internet and radio program.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment and confirmation Tuesday concerning the purported credentials.
Mr. Jones said in January that Infowars had “already been offered” press passes, but White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders refuted that claim in a subsequent interview with BuzzFeed.
In the interim, Infowars has hired writer Jerome R. Corsi as its Washington bureau chief and has all but secured him a regular press pass, Mr. Jones said Tuesday. Mr. Corsi wrote for the former World Net Daily website for 12 years prior to joining Infowars in January, and he published a book in 2011 erroneously claiming former President Obama was born abroad.
Mr. Jones, meanwhile, has recently landed in hot water for spreading falsehoods of his own. In March, Mr. Jones apologized for repeatedly peddling unfounded allegations linking Mrs. Clinton’s failed 2016 presidential campaign to human trafficking, the so-called “Pizzagate” conspiracy, during and after her unsuccessful White House bid. He eventually purged a handful of Pizzagate articles and broadcasts from the web in the face of litigation.
Last week, meanwhile, Mr. Jones was sued by Chobani, the country’s largest yogurt maker, for publishing an Infowars article accusing the company for “importing migrant rapists.”
Appearing on Mr. Jones’ show in 2015, Mr. Trump told the host, “Your reputation is amazing.” Mr. Jones has since claimed he’s in regular contact with individuals affiliated with the president’s inner circle.
Tuesday’s claim on “The Alex Jones Show” was first reported by Media Matters.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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