Alex Jones Of 'Infowars,' Conspiracy Theories, And Trump Campaign (Full) | Megyn Kelly | NBC News

WHERE WE ARE AND IF YOSPOT A FAMILIAR FACE FROM THE MOVIES. THIS IS "SUNDAY NIGHT. " >>> FIRST TONIGHT OUR REPORT ON THE INCENDIARY RADIO HOST ALEX JONES.

FOR YEARS JONES HAS BEEN SPREADING CONSPIRACY THEORIES CLAIMING FOR INSTANCE THAT ELEMENTS OF THE U. S. GOVERNMENT ALLOWED THE 9/11 ATTACKS TO HAPPEN AND THAT THE HORRIFIC SANDY HOOK MASSACRE WAS A HOAX.

SOME THOUGHT WE SHOULDN'T BROADCAST THIS INTERVIEW BECAUSE HIS BASELESS ALLEGATIONS AREN'T JUST OFFENSIVE, THEY'RE DANGEROUS. BUT HERE'S THE THING. ALEX JONES ISN'T GOING AWAY.

OVER THE YEARS HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL HAS RACKED UP 1. 3 BILLION VIEWS. HE HAS MILLIONS OF LISTENERS AND THE EAR OF OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT.

WE BEGIN OUR REPORT WITH HIS REACTION TO THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACK IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND. ALEX JONES WAS NEARLY 5,000 MILES AWAY FROM MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, WHEN A SUICIDE BOMBER KILLED 22 PEOPLE AT A CONCERT LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS AGO. DESPITE THE DISTANCE AND WITH FEW FACTS KNOWN, JONES DID WHAT HE OFTEN DOES -- JUMPS MOUTH FIRST INTO CONTROVERSY.

>> A BIG BOMB GOES OFF AT A POP STAR'S ROCK CONCERT BOMBING A BUNCH OF LIBERAL TRENDIES. >> YOU SAID LIBERAL TRENDIES WERE KILLED. THE SAME PEOPLE PROMOTING OPEN BORDERS, BRINGING ISLAMISTS IN.

>> YES. >> IN RESPONSE TO WHICH MANY PEOPLE LOOKED AT THE VICTIMS, MANY OF WHOM WERE 14, 15. >> I'M SORRY I DIDN'T BLOW THEM UP.

I KNOW. I DID SOMETHING BAD THOUGH? >> THAT YOU WOULD SUGGEST -- >> NO, NO.

>> THAT AN 8-YEAR-OLD -- RIGHT? SAFI ROSE WAS A LIBERAL TRENDY? THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE VICTIMS.

>> NO, NO. THE MEDIA MISREPRESENTING AND CLIPPING THAT THE WAY YOU DID. I GOT HOME AT 6:00, HEARD ABOUT IT.

THE AGES OF THE VICTIMS WEREN'T EVEN KNOWN. THEY WERE SAYING-JIHADI AND I SAID HOW CRAZY IS IT THAT LIBERAL TRENDIES ARE NOW THE VICTIMS. I START GOING AND LOOKING.

OF COURSE IF THERE ARE KIDS KILLED BY MUSLIMS I'M NOT SAYING IT'S THEIR FAULT. >> THAT PATTERN, RECKLESSNESS FOLLOWED BY EXCUSES IS CLASSIC ALEX JONES. >> THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE THEY WANT.

>> HE HAS SPENT NEARLY TWO DECADES ON THE FRINGE SO SHOUTING CON PIR SI THEORIES INTO EVERY MICROPHONE HE CAN GET IN FRONT OF. HERE HE IS IN 2001. >> TYRANNY IS ENVELOPING THE GLOBE.

>> HE HAS BEEN STEADY PRODUCING RADIO SHOWS AND WEB CASTS WHICH REACH MILLIONS A MONTH. HIS INFLUENCE HIT NEW HEIGHTS WHEN HE ATTRACTED A FAMOUS FAN -- THEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DONALD TRUMP. >> I JUST WANT TO FINISH BY SAYING YOUR REPUTATION IS AMAZING.

>> IN DECEMBER 2015 MR. TRUMP APPEARED ON JONES'S RADIO PROGRAM OFFERING PRAISE AND PROMISES. >> I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.

YOU WILL BE VERY, VERY IMPRESSED, I HOPE. I THINK WE'LL BE SPEAKING A LOT. >> SEPARATELY BOTH MEN HAD SUPPORTED THE FALSE STATEMENT THAT BARACK OBAMA WAS NOT A NATURAL BORN CITIZEN.

>> DONALD TRUMP IS SURGING. >> THEY HAVE HAD MORE IN COMMON SENSE. >> I AGREE WITH TRUMP ON THAT.

HE AGREES WITH ME. I'VE GOT ARTICLES. HE'S FOLLOWING ALEX ON COAL, ON GUNS, ON BORDERS.

>> THE 2016 CAMPAIGN WAS GOOD FOR INFO WARS. ITS YOUTUBE MONTHLY VIEWS REACHED 83 MILLION IN NOVEMBER 2016. MORE THAN FIVE TIMES HIGHER THAN THE PREVIOUS NOVEMBER.

WHEN MR. TRUMP WON, ALEX JONES FOUND HIMSELF WITH ACCESS TO THE SEAT OF POWER. INFO WARS GOT A TEMPORARY WHITE HOUSE PRESS PASS FOR THE FIRST TIME AND JONES SAID MR.

TRUMP CALLED HIM AFTER THE ELECTION TO THANK HIM FOR HIS HELP. >> YOU SAID IT'S SURREAL TO SAY SOMETHING AN INFO WARS AND HEAR IT COME OUT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES'S MOUTH DAYS LATER. >> THAT'S HAPPENED.

>> DO YOU THINK HE'S WATCHING? >> I KNOW TRUMP WATCHES AND SEES THE CLIPS AND THINGS. >> WE DID FIND INDICATIONS OF THAT.

ON JULY 22, 2015, INFO WARS PUT UP A VIDEO CLAIMING IT SHOWED DRUG TRAFFICKING ALONG THE U. S. MEXICO BORDER ALTHOUGH WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT ACTUALLY SHOWS.

>> WE ACTUALLY WITNESSED A DRUG SMUGGLING OPERATION FROM MEXICO INTO THE U. S. >> THREE DAYS LATER, MR.

TRUMP GAVE THIS SPEECH IN IOWA. >> BIG STORY ALL OVER THE PLACE NOW. GUYS SWIMMING ACROSS WITH BIG BAGS OF STUFF SWIMMING ACROSS THE RIVER.

>> THIS WAS INFO WARS PROVING THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND HILLARY CLINTON. >> I THINK SHE'S GOING TO SHOW UP ON DRUGS. SHE'LL BE WHACKED OUT.

>> AND MR. TRUMP'S TAKE NOT LONG AFTER. >> WE SHOULD TAKE A DRUG TEST PRIOR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HER.

>> DONALD TRUMP ALLY AND FREQUENT INFO WARS GUEST ROGER STONE UNDERSCORED THE CONNECTION BETWEEN JONES AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN LAST SPRING IN A TWEET THAT READ MSN ELITES DON'T SEE ALEX JONES AND INFO WARS REACH MILLIONS OF SUPPORTERS AND HELPED MAKE THE TRUMP REVOLUTION. >> WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK TO MR. TRUMP?

BOOM. >> WHILE JONES HAS BOASTED OF HIS ACCESS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP HE SAID THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA OR MSM EXAGGERATED IT. >> I THINK MY INFLUENCE ON TRUMP IS LOWER THAN WHAT MSM SAID.

>> WHAT KIND OF ACCESS? >> HE'S CALLED AND TALKED POLITICS OR THANKED ME, STUFF LIKE THAT. >> WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS FRIENDS?

>> NO. >> FRIENDLY? >> SURE.

>> HOW MANY TIMES HAS HE CALLED YOU? >> I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ALEX JONES THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP FINDS SO AMAZING?

>> THAT'S A SCARY QUESTION. >> CHARLIE SYKES IS A CONSERVATIVE WRITER AND CONTRIBUTOR TO NBC NEWS. HE'S BEEN CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP.

>> OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A CON SPIR TOIRL TURN IN THE PRESIDENT'S THINKING AND IMAGINATION. THOSE DARKER IMPULSES ARE FED INTO BY ALEX JONES. >> JONES SPEAKS TO HIS LISTENERS FOR HOURS A DAY, SIX DAYS A WEEK.

HIS RANTS CAN BE VULGAR AND HATE FILLED LIKE THIS ONE DIRECTED AT A MEMBER OF CONGRESS. >> SCHIFF LOOKS LIKE THE ARCHETYPE [ BLEEP ] AND THERE IS SOMETHING THIS FAIRY BOSSING AROUND TRYING TO INTIMIDATE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME. I WANT TO TELL CONGRESSMAN SCHIFF AND THE REST OF THEM YOU WANT TO SAY I'M A [ BLEEP ] RUSSIAN, YOU GET MY FACE I WILL BEAT YOUR [ BLEEP ] YOU SON OF A BITCH.

>> JONES BEGAN DEVELOPING CONSPIRACY THEORIES AS A TEENAGER. HE GREW UP THE OLDEST OF A DENTIST AND HOME MAKER AND WENT TO SCHOOL IN TEXAS. >> I READ HISTORY BOOKS AND I HAVE EDUCATED FAMILY.

I KNOW HOW THINGS WORK VERSUS WHAT THE NEWS SAID. >> AFTER A BRIEF STINT IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE HE FOUND HIS CALLING IN AUSTIN. HE WENT INTO BUSINESS FOR HIMSELF FOUNDING INFO WARS IN 1999.

MANY DOUBTED HIS PROSPECTS. HE'S NOW WORTH MILLIONS. >> I'M YOUR HOST ALEX JONES.

>> INFO WARS MAKES MAKEUP BY SELLING PRODUCTS LIKE MALE SUPPLEMENTS. >> IT'S JUST COME OFF OF ME. SOON THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT.

>> PITCH MAN IS JONES HIMSELF. >> IT COSTS MILLIONS A YEAR TO RUN IT. >> HOW MUCH IS MADE?

>> THE MONEY THAT'S MADE IS PUT BACK INTO THINGS. >> JONES USES THE MONEY TO SPREAD HIS MESSAGE. A MESSAGE THAT CAUSED ENORMOUS PAIN.

>> HE HAS INJECTED THIS TOXIC PARANOIA INTO THE MAIN STREAM OF CONSERVATIVE THOUGHT IN A WAY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCONCEIVABLE A COUPLE OF DECADES AGO. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO TRAFFICS IN SOME OF THE SICKEST, MOST OFFENSIVE TYPES OF THEORIES. >> AT THE TOP OF THE LIST IS JONES'S OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENT THAT THE SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENT CHILDREN AND TEACHERS AT SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ONE OF THE DARKEST CHAPTERS IN AMERICAN HISTORY WAS A HOAX.

>> I LOST MY SON. I BURIED MY SON. I HELD MY SON WITH A BULLET HOLE THROUGH HIS HEAD.

>> NEIL'S SON JESSE WAS MURDERED, JUST 6 YEARS OLD WITH CLASSMATES AND SIX ADULTS IN NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT. >> I DROPPED HIM OFF AT 9:04 AT SCHOOL WITH HIS BOOK BAG. HOURS LATER I WAS PICKING HIM UP IN A BODY BAG.

>> ALEX JONES REPEATEDLY CLAIMED THAT THE SHOOTING NEVER HAPPENED. HERE HE IS IN DECEMBER 2014. >> IT TOOK ME ABOUT A YEAR WITH SANDY HOOK TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE FACT THAT THE WHOLE THING WAS FAKE.

>> YOU SAID THE WHOLE THING IS A HOAX. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH A TOTAL HOAX? IT TOOK ME ABOUT A YEAR WITH SANDY HOOK TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE FACT THAT THE WHOLE THING WAS FAKE.

I DID DEEP RESEARCH AND MY GOSH, IT JUST PRETTY MUCH DIDN'T HAPPEN. >> AT THAT POINT, AND I DO THINK THERE IS COVER-UP AND MANIPULATION, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I BELIEVED. I WAS GOING INTO DEVIL'S ADVOCATE BUT WE KNOW THERE ARE MASS SHOOTINGS AND THESE THINGS HAPPEN.

>> YOU'RE TRYING TO HAVE IT ALL WAYS. >> NO, I'M NOT. >> IF YOU WEPT OUT AND SAID IT WAS A HOAX THAT'S WRONG.

>> I ALREADY ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION. LISTENERS AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE COVERING THIS. I DIDN'T CREATE THAT STORY.

>> ALEX, THE PARENTS, ONE AFTER THE OTHER, DEVASTATED. THE DEAD BODIES THAT THE CORONER AUTOPSIED. >> THEY BLOCKED THAT.

THEY WON'T RELEASE IT. IT'S UNPRECEDENTED. EVEN THE REPORTS.

>> ALL THE PARENTS DECIDED TO COME OUT AND LIE ABOUT DEAD CHILDREN? >> I DIDN'T SAY THAT. >> WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHILDREN?

>> I WILL LOOK AT EVERY POSITION AND PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE? >> WAS THAT DEVIL'S ADVOCATE? THE WHOLE THING WAS A HOAX?

THE WHOLE THING WAS FAKE? >> YES. I REMEMBER EVEN THAT DAY THEN SAYING, BUT THEN SOME OF IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS REAL BUT THEN WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THEY'VE GOT THE KIDS GOING IN CIRCLES IN AND OUT OF THE BUILDING WITH THEIR HANDS UP.

IT LOOKS LIKE A DRILL. I HAVE WATCHED THE FOOTAGE. >> WHEN YOU SAY PARENTS FAKED THEIR CHILDREN'S DEATH, PEOPLE GET ANGRY.

>> I KNOW. THEY DON'T GET ANGRY ABOUT THE HALF MILLION DEAD IRAQIS FROM SANCTIONS. >> THAT'S A DODGE.

>> IT'S NOT A DODGE. THE MEDIA NEVER COVERS THE EVIL WARS -- >> THAT DOESN'T EXCUSE WHAT YOU DID AND SAID ABOUT NEWTOWN AND YOU KNOW IT. >> HERE'S THE DIFFERENCE.

I LOOKED AT ALL ANGLES OF NEWTOWN. I MADE MY STATEMENTS LONG BEFORE THE MEDIA EVEN PICKED UP ON IT. >> IN OUR INTERVIEW WE ASKED JONES NUMEROUS TIMES WHAT HE NOW BELIEVES.

HE NEVER COMPLETELY DISAVOWED HIS PREVIOUS STATEMENTS. >> I TEND TO BELIEVE CHILDREN PROBABLY DID DIE THERE. YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER EVIDENCE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

I CAN SEE HOW OTHER PEOPLE BELIEVE NOBODY DIED THERE. >> OF COURSE THERE IS NO EVIDENCE ON THE OTHER SIDE. AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK OFFICE THE NEWTOWN BOARD OF EDUCATION WROTE TO HIM IMPLORING THE PRESIDENT TO TRY TO STOP JONES AND OTHER HOAXERS LIKE HIM SAYING JONES CONTINUES TO SPREAD HATE AND LIES TOWARDS OUR TOWN.

ALMOST FOUR MONTHS LATER, ACCORDING TO THE BOARD CHAIRMAN, THE PRESIDENT HAS YET TO RESPOND. THE LIES ABOUT SANDY HOOK HAVE HAD REAL WORLD CONSEQUENCES. JUST THIS MONTH, A FLORIDA WOMAN WAS SENTENCED TO FIVE MONTHS IN PRISON FOR SENDING DEATH THREATS TO A SANDY HOOK PARENT.

HER DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAID SHE WAS PRIMARILY MOTIVATED BY INFO WARS. OTHER VICTIMS FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN HARASSED OR THREATENED, TOO. THE FAMILIES SAY JONES'S WORDS CAUSED LASTING PAIN.

AND THEY FEAR THE HARASSMENT WILL CONTINUE. >> YOU KNOW, IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO ME. I DID LOSE MY SON AND 26 OTHER FAMILIES LOST SOMEBODY.

I TAKE THAT VERY PERSONAL. >> YOU KNOW, THIS PIECE IS GOING TO AIR ON FATHER'S DAY. >> CORRECT.

>> WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO HIM? >> I THINK HE'S BLESSED TO HAVE HIS CHILDREN TO SPEND THE DAY WITH, TO SPEAK TO. I DON'T HAVE THAT.

>> THE CONSEQUENCES OF JONES'S ACTIONS ARE NOT LIMITED TO SANDY HOOK. >> PIZZAGATE AS IT'S CALLED IS A RABBIT HOLE THAT'S HORRIFYING TO GO DOWN. >> IN 2016, JONES PROMOTED A CONSPIRACY THEORY KNOWN AS PIZZAGATE.

INFO WARS CLAIMED A CHILD SEX RING WAS BEING RUN BY DEMOCRATS OUT OF A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES AND SPECIFICALLY POINTED TO A WASHINGTON, D. C. PIZZERIA.

>> GO TO INFO WARS. COM AND SEE THE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS INSIDE THESE PLACES. >> JONES ENCOURAGED LISTENERS TO INVESTIGATE THE CASE THEMSELVES AND ONE DID, BRINGING A SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE TO THE SHOP AND FIRING SEVERAL ROUNDS.

NO ONE WAS HURT AND THE SHOOTER WAS ARRESTED. PIZZA RESTAURANT OWNER TOLD JONES TO APOLOGIZE AND HE DID. >> WE REGRET ANY COMMENTARY ON COMIC PING-PONG OR ITS EMPLOYEES.

>> ANOTHER APOLOGY CAME THIS SPRING. CHOBANI YOGURT SUED JONES AFTER INFO WARS FANNED THE LIE THAT CHOBANI EMPLOYEES COMMITTED SEXUAL ASSAULT IN IDAHO. >> I REGRET WE MISREPRESENTED CHOBANI.

>> YOU COULD HAVE FOUND OUT IF YOU HAD A REPORTER DO A LITTLE REPORTING, CALL, CHECK OUT THE FACTS. YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE HAD TO APOLOGIZE. >> THIS IS MY STATEMENT ON THAT.

WE KNOW IT WAS BASICALLY A P. R. EVENT.

WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU'VE GOT A YEAR OF REPORTING ON A REPORTED SEXUAL ASSAULT. >> ALL OF WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHOBANI. >> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LET ME GET IT OUT.

>> I DON'T WANT TO SMEAR THE MAN. YOU SAID YOU WERE WRONG ABOUT CHOBANI. YOU SAID THAT.

>> WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE THEY CHOSE TO GO AFTER ME AND SO I SIMPLY POINTED OUT THAT WE WERE REPORTING OTHER PEOPLE'S REPORTS THAT WERE NOT ENTIRELY ACCURATE AND WE WERE SORRY BECAUSE IT WAS TRUE. >> YOU DON'T SOUND VERY SORRY. >> WELL, THE MEDIA SAID STUFF ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT THAT WASN'T TRUE.

>> WHAT? YOU SAID THINGS ABOUT CHOBANI AND THE OWNER THAT WERE NOT TRUE. ARE YOU SORRY?

>> I WILL TELL YOU AGAIN. THE MEDIA REALLY WAS UPSET THAT THEY SAID IT WAS A HOAX. >> IT'S NO THE MEDIA.

YOU. >> SO WHAT THEY DID. >> ARE YOU SORRY?

>> WHAT THEY DID. WHAT THE MEDIA DID AND WE KNOW IT WAS THE MEDIA. WE HAVE THE P.

I. s AND THE LAW FIRMS. WE'RE WORKING ON IT NOW.

LET'S SAY CHOBANI WAS REAL HAPPY TO GET OUT OF THE LAWSUIT. >> BUT IT WAS CLEAR INFO WARS WAS THE ONLY MEDIA OUTLET TO REPORT THE LIE THAT FORCED JONES TO APOLOGIZE. WITH THAT APOLOGY THEY CONSIDER THE MATTER CLOSED.

>> DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF AS A JOURNALIST? >> I HAVE JOURNALISTS WHO WORK FOR ME. I DO JOURNAL LIS TICK WORK.

>> IN THE INFO WARS STUDIO THERE IS NO SCRIPT. INSTEAD IT IS A FREEWHEELING SPIN THROUGH PILES OF ARTICLES STRAIGHT OFF THE INTERNET. >> 95% OF WHAT WE COVER IS LOOKING AT A NEWS ARTICLE AND THEN DISCUSSING IT.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT AN ARTICLE AND DISCUSS IT, IT'S GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT. IF IT'S ALL B. S.

AND YOU SPEND TWO HOURS TALKING ABOUT IT YOU PUT OUT A BUNCH OF MISINFORMATION. WHAT'S THE VETTING PROCESS? >> WE ALL GET HILLARY WAS 15 POINTS AHEAD.

WE GET MAINSTREAM MEDIA HAS A BIG PROBLEM. >> THE INFO WARS STAFFERS WE MET HAVE FREE REIN TO COVER WHATEVER THEY LIKE WITH VIRTUALLY NO OVERSIGHT. WE SPOKE WITH EMPLOYEES INCLUDING OWEN SHROYER.

>> ON A DAILY BASIS HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WILL DO? >> I WAKE UP, LOOK AT THE NEWS. I PRAY.

I RARELY GET DIRECTIVES FROM ALEX OR MY BOSS. THEY LEAVE IT UP TO ME. >> IS THAT WHAT YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE -- A JOURNALIST?

>> I DON'T LIKE CALLING IT THAT. I'M A HUMAN LOOKING FOR TRUTH. I'M TRYING TO REACH OUT AND BE WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT.

>> WHEN YOU SAY PEOPLE WHO DO YOU MEAN? >> THE DEPLORABLES, THE FLYOVER COUNTRY, THE FORGOTTEN AMERICANS. >> WE ARE GOING TO GET TO WORK IMMEDIATELY FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

>> WITH THE ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP, ALEX JONES HAS PLANS TO EXPAND INFO WARS. MORE STUDIOS, MORE SHOWS, MORE EMPLOYEES, MORE INFLUENCE. >> I SAID THE WAR HAS JUST BEGUN.

WE'VE JUST GOT A BEACH HEAD. SO THAT'S JUST THE START OF THE WAR FOR ME. >> ALEX JONES GOES INTO BATTLE WITH A POWERFUL ALLY.

JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, THE TRUMP/PENCE CAMPAIGN E-MAILED THIS MESSAGE TO SUPPORTERS.