Spencer Pratt blames 'naive' youth for past 9/11 conspiracy rants By Tylor Brooks | USA Herald

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt is actively walking back his history of radical conspiracy theories as his surprising political campaign gains mainstream traction. The former MTV reality star publicly blamed his past actions on being young and naive after a newly unearthed 2009 broadcast showed him telling far-right host Alex Jones that the September 11 terrorist attacks were an inside job.

High-Profile Insurgency Faces Heavy Scrutiny

Pratt, 42, has successfully transformed himself from a classic reality television villain into an unexpected and polarizing contender for Mayor of Los Angeles. Launching his campaign following the destruction of his Pacific Palisades home in a massive wildfire, his anti-establishment rhetoric and aggressive platform regarding public safety have resonated with a significant portion of the local electorate.

However, his rapid rise in voter surveys has drawn intense opposition research into his highly documented public life. Media watchdogs recently resurfaced footage from a 2009 appearance on the conspiracy-driven network InfoWars, where Pratt fully endorsed radical alternative theories regarding the destruction of the World Trade Center towers.

The Uncovered 2009 InfoWars Interrogation

During the newly uncovered media segment, Pratt did not mince words when discussing the 2001 tragedy with host Alex Jones. The television personality aggressively pushed the narrative that the American government orchestrated the attacks, utilizing his massive social media platform at the time to validate dangerous fringe beliefs.

A review of the archived audio reveals the depth of Pratt's alignment with the conspiracy movement at the time:

• The Inside Job Claim: Pratt explicitly told the InfoWars audience that the terrorist attacks were "100%" an inside job.

• Media Promotion: He repeatedly urged his millions of social media followers to watch Loose Change, a widely discredited documentary film asserting the attacks were a false flag operation.

• Continued Alignment: Documents show Pratt returned to Jones' programming as late as 2017 to defend the host during national backlash over Sandy Hook school shooting denials.

Reality Star Pivots to Deflection Strategy

Confronted with the audio while staging local campaign meet-and-greet events, Pratt immediately attempted to distance his current political persona from his historical media outbursts. Speaking to local reporters, the candidate categorized the statements as the reckless behavior of an uneducated young influencer looking for attention.

"We could go back 15 years. I've said a lot of dumb things. I've done a lot of stupid things in my life," Pratt stated during a recent campaign stop interview. "I was young, naive, and trying to play a character. I'm a completely different person today."

Campaign officials have attempted to pivot the conversation back to local issues, such as Pratt's aggressive proposal to scale up the Los Angeles Police Department to 12,500 active officers. His platform heavily relies on tapping into voter anger over homelessness and crime, utilizing his Hollywood production savvy to dominate local social media algorithms.

Uncharted Territory for Los Angeles Politics

Political strategists note that while Pratt's past controversies would traditionally sink a mainstream candidate, modern populist movements have shifted consumer tolerances. His platform continues to outpace several traditional local politicians in direct grassroots fundraising, turning a sleepy local race into a highly charged national news event.

Whether local voters will accept Pratt's youthful ignorance defense remains the defining question of the primary season. Rival campaigns are already preparing extensive ad buys to ensure his past relationship with radical media outlets remains top of mind for voters heading to the ballot box.