This Anderson Cooper Debate Theory Is Incredible

Donald Trump should just pull out of the next debate. Why? Well, at least according to radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, Trump doesn't stand a fair chance thanks to "admittedly CIA" debate moderator Anderson Cooper. The Trump surrogate's latest ranting claims that the upcoming presidential debate is "rigged" against the Republican candidate because of Cooper's alleged ties to the intelligence agency — consequently meaning that Jones' alleged ties to anything involving either intelligence or reality completely go out the window with this latest Anderson Cooper debate conspiracy theory.

Jones made the claim against the CNN anchor on his radio show Infowars, where his theories range from baffling to disgusting (the radio host believes the government has a "weather machine" that can create and direct tornadoes; he also told his listeners that the Sandy Hook and Orlando shooting massacres were orchestrated by the Obama Administration). When discussing how Trump has supposedly been treated unfairly by previous debate moderators, he lamented that there was no chance the former reality television star could make it through this debate unscathed by moderators.

"They’ve got CIA Anderson Cooper running the next debate. He’s admittedly CIA," Jones said. "And so we are storming the Bastille peacefully with 21st century warfare, which is information warfare." Just days later, Jones repeated the claim, asking his guest, "So what happens this Sunday? What happens with this big royal rumble with the known CIA operative Anderson twinkle-toes, bite-your-pillow hosting it?"

This isn't the first time this CIA theory has been touted by the extreme right. Their basis for the theory is that Cooper interned for the CIA for two summers while studying as an undergrad at Yale. Jones and other conspiracy theorists claim that Cooper was a part of the government's supposed "Operation Mockingbird," which argues that the CIA infiltrated mainstream media.

Cooper addressed this theory in a CNN blog post in 2006, saying this his summer job as an intern was largely "bureaucratic and mundane." He closed the post by saying: "Oh, yeah, in case you’re interested, after I graduated college, I briefly worked as a waiter, but I decided not to make a career out of that job either."

Trump, for his part, has gone with his standard "he's treated me very unfairly" line as to why Cooper makes a poor choice for a moderator. But careful, Donald — according to your own surrogate, the CIA is watching.