Trending Now - Infowars Ownership Transition Faces Legal Hurdles Amid Controversy

WHO:

Alternet - Alex Jones, founder of Infowars; Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion; Sandy Hook families; Texas Third Court of Appeals; Mark Bankston, lawyer for Sandy Hook victims' relatives.

ABC News - The Onion; Free Speech Systems, parent company of Infowars; Alex Jones.

WHAT:

Alternet - The Onion's CEO stated, “Good riddance to the world’s worst rubbish,” regarding Alex Jones' departure from Infowars.

Alternet - Jones owes $1.4 billion to Sandy Hook families due to defamation lawsuits.

ABC News - The Onion's plan to take over Infowars is currently in limbo due to a court ruling.

ABC News - The Onion aims to transform Infowars into parody sites and has already begun selling Infowars merchandise.

ABC News - A Texas judge set another hearing for May 28 regarding the proposed licensing deal with The Onion.

WHERE:

ABC News - The events are taking place in Austin, Texas.

WHEN:

ABC News - A hearing regarding the licensing deal is scheduled for May 28.

ABC News - In November 2024, The Onion was named the winner of a bankruptcy court auction for Infowars' assets, but the results were overturned by a federal judge.

WHY:

Alternet - The legal dismantling of Infowars began due to defamation lawsuits filed by Sandy Hook victims' families against Alex Jones for claiming the shooting was a hoax.

ABC News - The Onion's CEO expressed frustration over legal delays, stating, “This newly insane, unprecedented legal stalling does nothing but delay our deal with the receiver to take control of InfoWars.”

HOW:

Alternet - The Onion's bid to take over Infowars was initially blocked by a judge due to a higher offer from another company.

ABC News - The proposed licensing deal would allow The Onion temporary authority to use Infowars' trademarks, copyrights, and intellectual property while liquidation proceeds.

(UPDATED May 1, 2026 23:16 UTC)

In a significant development, The Onion's CEO expressed relief over Alex Jones' departure from Infowars, calling it “good riddance to the world’s worst rubbish,” as Jones faces a staggering $1.4 billion in defamation judgments owed to Sandy Hook families. Meanwhile, a Texas judge has scheduled a hearing for May 28 regarding The Onion's proposed licensing deal to take control of Infowars, which aims to transform the platform into parody sites while selling its merchandise. However, this plan remains in limbo due to ongoing legal challenges, with The Onion's CEO voicing frustration over the delays that hinder their efforts to finalize the deal.