Alex Jones and Other Conservatives Call for Civil War Against Liberals – Newsweek
Would you go to war against your fellow Americans to show your support for President Donald Trump? For the last several months, thats exactly what broadcaster Alex Jonesa favorite of the presidenthas been calling for.
In his radio show, on YouTube and on his Infowars website, Joneswho never met a conspiracy theory he didnt likeand who has pushed the notion that Sandy Hook was fakedhas been announcing that the United States is on the verge of a bloody second civil war. Like the radio DJs in Rwanda, Jones has been egging on his conservative listeners and viewersan estimated 2.7 million people monthlyto kill more liberal fellow citizens over their political differences.
Jones is hardly alone in promoting this scary, emerging narrative on the right. The theme gained momentum after the shooting at the congressional baseball game last month. The day before the attack, on June 13, right wing broadcaster Michael Savage, host of syndicated show The Savage Nation, warned that theres going to be a civil war because of what this left-wing is becoming in this country. After the baseball field shooting the next day, he said that he know[s] whats coming, and its going to get worse. Savage also said of the shooting that this blood is on [Democrats] hands.
Daily Emails and Alerts - Get the best of Newsweek delivered to your inbox
After the shooting, Newt Gingrich opined on Fox that we are in a clear-cut cultural civil war. Former GOP speechwriter Pat Buchanan wrote that the appointment of a special prosecutor and political street clashes presage a deep state media coup and that the nation is approaching something of a civil war, and its time for Trump to burn down the Bastille.
But few commentators can match the relentless hysteria and reach of Jones. His recent YouTube video titles telegraph the tone: Get Ready For CIVIL WAR! and First Shots Fired in Second US Civil War! What Will You Do? and Will Trump Stop Democrats' Plan for Violent Civil War?
Joness followers have already turned broadcaster words into violent action. Last year, Edgar Maddison Welch drove from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., to fire on a pizza restaurant Jones had been saying was a front for Democratic pedophiles and Satanists. Court records indicate he had been talking to his friends about Joness theories before he went on his mission. In 2014, a right-wing couple, self-described Infowars fans Jerad and Amanda Miller from Indiana, killed two police officers after posting screeds on Infowars. Jones later theorized that the shooting was a false flag intended to discredit the right.
Media Matters for America (MMA), a progressive research organization, has staff assigned to track Jones Infowars shows daily. According to spokesman Nate Evans, right-wing media has been advocating violence more since Trump was elected, but Jones has been particularly crazy about it.
Among the statements MMA has culled from his broadcasts in recent months are the following:
On June 23, he accused the left of starting civil war and offered to personally execute convicted traitors because, he said, Im not going to sit here and just call for stuff without actually being part of it. In the same broadcast he said, I dont need some coming-of-age deal to kill a bunch of liberals, but we have to start getting ready for insurrection and civil war because theyre really pushing it.
On June 15, he warned you kick off Civil War 2, baby, youll think Lexington and Concord was a cakewalk. The day before, he implicated himself and his listeners: Youre trying to start a civil war with people. Youre taking our kindness for weakness. Do you understand the American people will kill all of you? You understand? We are killing machines, you fools. But I can shoot bulls-eye at 400 yards, dumbass. I mean, they have no idea who theyre messing with."
In a May 13 broadcast, he warned that "leftists want a war," so cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war.
Jones has also called for extrajudicially arresting former FBI DIrector James Comey and Hillary Clinton and has encouraged Trump to use the military against dissenters. "I'd support the president right now moving against these people physically, he said in a June 13 broadcast. I mean, let's be honest. We're in a war. I would support the president making a military move on them right now."
This is not the first time Jones has attracted attention by advocating violence against federal officials. In April, he let loose with a rant on California Democrat Adam Schiff, the ranking minority member of the House Intelligence Committee looking into Trumps Russian connections. The profanity laced transcript was also homophobic and included an explicit threat of bodily harm.
Im not against gay people. OK. I love them, theyre great folks. But Schiff looks like the archetypal cocksucker with those little deer-in-the-headlight eyes and all his stuff, Jones said. And theres something about this fairy, hopping around, bossing everybody around, trying to intimidate people like me and you, I want to tell Congressman Schiff and all the rest of them, Hey, listen, asshole, quit saying Roger and Iand Ive never used cussing in 22 years, but the gloves are offlisten, you son of a bitch, what the fucks your problem? You want to sit here and say that Im a goddamn, fucking Russian. You get in my face with that, Ill beat your goddamn ass, you son of a bitch. You piece of shit. You fucking goddamn fucker. Listen, fuckhead, you have fucking crossed a line. Get that through your goddamn fucking head. Stop pushing your shit. Youre the people that have fucked this country over and gangraped the shit out of it and lost an election. So stop shooting your mouth off claiming Im the enemy. You got that you goddamn son of a bitch? Fill your hand. Im sorry, but Im done. You start calling me a foreign agent, those are fucking fighting words. Excuse me.
Tim Johnson, a Media Matters for America Research Fellow, who tracks Jones says that the civil war theme is a new one, and probably related to the fact that Barack Obama is no longer president, offering a clear, single enemy. He needs something new, and so its that criticism of Trump equals civil war, Johnson said.
An attorney with expertise in federal law told Newsweek at the time that Joness threats at Schiff appeared to break a federal law, U.S. Code Title 18, Section 115, which makes it illegal to threaten to assault a U.S. official and provides a penalty of up to six years in prison.
After Newsweek published that legal analysis, Jones publicly pulled back, and posted a video attempting to clarify his remarks as clearly tongue-in-cheek and basically art performance.
Federal officials are not known to have contacted him or looked into the matter.
See the original post:
Alex Jones and Other Conservatives Call for Civil War Against Liberals - Newsweek
- Texas Politics Keeps Moving Rightward. Meet Ten Liberals Who Fled the State. - Texas Monthly - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Facebook Fact Checks Were Never Going to Save Us. They Just Made Liberals Feel Better. - The Intercept - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Liberals win support of NDP, independents by promising enhanced review of Churchill Falls MOU - Yahoo News UK - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Rebuilding the Liberals after Trudeau - The Globe and Mail - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Opinion: To avoid decimation, the Liberals likely need a leader from Quebec - The Globe and Mail - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Several top Liberals say they're eyeing leadership but they're waiting to see the rules first - Yahoo News Canada - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- The Liberals could be crushed in the next election. Why would anyone want to lead them? - CBC News - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Local Liberals applaud Trudeau and his decision to leave while Conservatives lament his legacy - Calgary Herald - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Liberals Are Facing a Global Meltdown - AMAC Official Website - Join and Explore the Benefits - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Canada's Trudeau resigns after nine years in power as Liberals force him out - The Japan Times - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- LGBTQ liberals start arming themselves over baseless fear of being placed in 'concentration camps:' report - New York Post - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Harvard: Liberals Struggle More with Mental Health - Patheos - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Liberals in a better place with Canadians on carbon tax, says Guilbeault - iPolitics.ca - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- With Justin Trudeau's Resignation Coming, What's Next For Canada And The Liberals? - Times Now - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Why Liberals Struggle to Cope With Epochal Change - The Atlantic - January 3rd, 2025 [January 3rd, 2025]
- Austrian liberals quit coalition talks, throwing process into turmoil - Reuters - January 3rd, 2025 [January 3rd, 2025]
- The Federal Liberals New Years Eve Nightmare: Party vote intent sinks to 16%, Trudeau approval at all-time low - Angus Reid Institute - January 3rd, 2025 [January 3rd, 2025]
- Braid: Extinction in Parliament is now a real threat to Liberals under Justin Trudeau - Calgary Herald - January 3rd, 2025 [January 3rd, 2025]
- Joe Oliver: Where do Trudeau and the Liberals go from here? - Financial Post - January 3rd, 2025 [January 3rd, 2025]
- GUNTER: Liberals heading into election a desperate party - Toronto Sun - January 3rd, 2025 [January 3rd, 2025]
- Liberals amnesty for banned guns ends this year. Heres what gun owners need to know - True North - January 3rd, 2025 [January 3rd, 2025]
- A spirited debate: Liberals, conservatives and you - Spectrum News - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- Report ties Romanian liberals to TikTok campaign that fueled pro-Russia candidate - POLITICO Europe - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- Breakenridge: UCP at a loss when not battling Trudeau's Liberals - Calgary Herald - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- Why Liberals Will Give Two Cheers for Trump - Foreign Policy In Focus - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- Kelly McParland: The Liberals have only one choice an election - National Post - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- Poilievre Opens 25-Point Lead over Trudeau on Being Best Equipped to Deal with Trump. Liberals (20%, -1) and NDP (20%, -1) Battle for Second while... - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- Faizan Mustafa writes: Why liberals and minorities need to value Mohan Bhagwats words - The Indian Express - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- From Public Defender To Public Servant If Liberals Were Honest, Theyd Love The Kash Patel Story - tippinsights - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- LILLEY: Infighting shows Liberals can't run their party or country - Toronto Sun - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- Whats next for Trudeau and the Liberals after a chaotic 2024 - The Globe and Mail - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- Liberals founded the United States and will continue to make it a great nation | Letters - Tennessean - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Abortion is the last refuge of the Liberals - The Globe and Mail - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- David Harsanyi: Don't trash the Constitution to dunk on the liberals - The Union Leader - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Democrats and College Liberals: Severely Out of Touch - The Colgate Maroon-News - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Liberals Are Already Fighting Each Other On Bluesky - Outkick - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- An ad supporting Jenifer Branning finds imaginary liberals on the Mississippi Supreme Court - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Dont Trash the Constitution To Dunk on the Liberals - The New York Sun - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Want To Exchange Ideas With Annoying Liberals Like Yourself? Here's How To Delete Your X Account and Join Bluesky. - Washington Free Beacon - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Unprincipled Liberals & the Principle of Cause and Effect - The European Conservative - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Piers Morgan Wants Liberals to 'Just Shut Up' About Trump Winning the Election: 'Enough of It' | Video - TheWrap - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Jewish liberals should follow Morning Joe and drop the resistance - JNS.org - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- The Week in Polling: Liberals and NDP tied for first time since 2015, Canadians twice as likely to feel worse off financially than better, and most... - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Chris Selley: Hoping Trump will help them isn't looking good for the Liberals - National Post - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- How Bluesky is coping with influx of liberals rushing to quit X - The Times - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- The winners and losers of the Liberals holiday tax break and cash giveaway - Toronto Star - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- The winners and losers of the Liberals' holiday tax break and cash giveaway - CTV News - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- John Ivison: Trudeau Liberals finally recognize their dance partner and it's not Mexico - National Post - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Liberals to cut GST on beer, childrens toys and Christmas trees - National Post - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Behind Trumps victory lies a cold reality: liberals have no answers for a modern age in crisis - The Guardian - November 19th, 2024 [November 19th, 2024]
- Dont trash the Constitution to dunk on the liberals - Washington Examiner - November 19th, 2024 [November 19th, 2024]
- Opinion: Quebec Liberals are working on many fronts, not only on a constitution - Montreal Gazette - November 19th, 2024 [November 19th, 2024]
- MSNBCs Jason Johnson Blasts Liberals Alleging Voter Fraud: There Is No Evidence That Any of That Is True Whatsoever - Mediaite - November 19th, 2024 [November 19th, 2024]
- Bay Area Jewish liberals are feeling numb after Trumps win over local favorite Harris - The Jewish News of Northern California - November 19th, 2024 [November 19th, 2024]
- Liberals Cant Stop Gushing Over Trumps Foreign Policy Team - The Nation - November 17th, 2024 [November 17th, 2024]
- Liberals cant afford to cut Trump supporters out of their lives - Washington Examiner - November 17th, 2024 [November 17th, 2024]
- The New Election Conspiracy Theory Thats Coming From Liberals - Slate - November 17th, 2024 [November 17th, 2024]
- Liberals pressure Senate Democrats to confirm more Biden judges while they can - The Associated Press - November 17th, 2024 [November 17th, 2024]
- Crybaby liberals bawl over election results - Washington Times - November 17th, 2024 [November 17th, 2024]
- Bill Maher eviscerates 'privileged' and 'stupid' liberals who make voters 'want to punch them in the face' - Daily Mail - November 17th, 2024 [November 17th, 2024]
- Braid: Liberals brag about carbon tax as Trump takes the axe to U.S. climate action - Calgary Herald - November 17th, 2024 [November 17th, 2024]
- Ezra Klein to Liberals Blaming FOX News, Saying The Economy Is Actually Good: "Shut The F*ck Up With That" - RealClearPolitics - November 17th, 2024 [November 17th, 2024]
- To all Scotland's 'liberals', no-one gives a Friar Tuck if you flounce away from X - HeraldScotland - November 17th, 2024 [November 17th, 2024]
- Yale Psychiatrist Tells Liberals 'It's Fine' To Cut Ties With Trump-Voting Family Members | Watch - News18 - November 12th, 2024 [November 12th, 2024]
- MSNBC's Al Sharpton goes off on 'latte liberals' who 'speak for people they don't speak to' - Fox News - November 12th, 2024 [November 12th, 2024]
- Yale psychiatrist calls it essential for liberals to cut off Trump-voting loved ones during holidays - Yahoo! Voices - November 12th, 2024 [November 12th, 2024]
- 'BAD ADVICE': Yale psychiatrist grilled for telling liberals to cut ties with Trump-supporting loved ones - Fox News - November 12th, 2024 [November 12th, 2024]
- Opinion: Liberals only interested in a woman's right to an abortion not choice - National Post - November 12th, 2024 [November 12th, 2024]
- Bill Maher Unloads on Liberals: Youre Brats, and Youre Snobs, and People Dont Like That! - Mediaite - November 12th, 2024 [November 12th, 2024]
- Quebec Liberals take shots at Pablo Rodriguez and Justin Trudeau over economic record - National Post - November 12th, 2024 [November 12th, 2024]
- Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor Not Expected to Cave to Liberals' Retirement Hopes - The Daily Beast - November 12th, 2024 [November 12th, 2024]
- Face it, liberals, this is what millions wanted - The Times - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Now Democrats must face the future: What do liberals actually want? - Salon - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Investor offers his private jet to 'crying liberals' & celebs who promised to leave US if Donald Trump... - Moneycontrol - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- The morning after: a kitchen table convo between two southern liberals - Daily Kos - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Scott Baugh pulls ahead of Dave Min, conservatives on track to unseat liberals in Huntington Beach - Los Angeles Times - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- 'Canada will be absolutely fine': Liberals try to reassure Canadians they are ready for Trump 2.0 - National Post - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Liberals a third as likely to describe themselves as highly masculine than conservatives : study - New York Post - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Liberals stepped over the bodies of Palestinian women to vote for Kamala Harris - Prism - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Perspective: Liberals and conservatives dont have to be at war - Deseret News - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]