Mike Cernovich

Cernovich was born on November 17, 1977, in the farming town of Kewanee, Illinois.{{cite magazine |last1=Marantz |first1=Andrew |date=October 31, 2016 |title=Trolls for Trump |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/31/trolls-for-trump |url-status=live |magazine=The New Yorker |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105234714/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/31/trolls-for-trump |archive-date=November 5, 2016 |access-date=November 4, 2016}} His family was poor, and his parents were both devout Christians.{{cite web |last=Greenfield |first=Scott |date=February 24, 2016 |title=Cross: Mike Cernovich, The 800 lb. Gorilla Lawyer |url=http://mimesislaw.com/fault-lines/cross-mike-cernovich-the-800-lb-gorilla-lawyer/7034 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014221036/http://mimesislaw.com/fault-lines/cross-mike-cernovich-the-800-lb-gorilla-lawyer/7034 |archive-date=October 14, 2016 |publisher=Mimeis Law}}

Cernovich graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from the University of Illinois at Springfield in 2001.{{cite web |date=April 1, 2013 |title=Philosophy BA |url=https://www.uis.edu/insideuis/wp-content/uploads/sites/105/2013/04/Philosophy-BA-fs.pdf |access-date=December 19, 2019 |publisher=University of Illinois at Springfield |archive-date=December 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219130734/https://www.uis.edu/insideuis/wp-content/uploads/sites/105/2013/04/Philosophy-BA-fs.pdf |url-status=live }} He graduated with a Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2004.

In 2004, Cernovich started a legal blog entitled Crime & Federalism, where he wrote about law from a libertarian perspective.{{Cite news |last1=Ohlheiser |first1=Abby |last2=Terris |first2=Ben |date=April 7, 2017 |title=How Mike Cernovich's influence moved from the Internet fringes to the White House |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/04/07/how-mike-cernovichs-influence-moved-from-the-internet-fringes-to-the-white-house/ |access-date=January 5, 2021 |issn= |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119023809/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/04/07/how-mike-cernovichs-influence-moved-from-the-internet-fringes-to-the-white-house/ |url-status=live }}

Shortly after his divorce in 2011, he created the blog Danger & Play, where he wrote about men's rights, fitness, and self-help topics. The title of Danger & Play came from a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche: "The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything."{{Cite news |title=Mike Cernovich |work=Southern Poverty Law Center |url=https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/mike-cernovich |access-date=September 24, 2018 |archive-date=September 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924105801/https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/mike-cernovich |url-status=live }}

In an October 2016 blog post, Cernovich wrote that date rape is "liberal fiction" that is "harmful ... for men and women" and leads to false rape accusations, claiming that: "Lying about being in love to sleep with someone isn't rape [...] Getting played isn't rape. Regret isn't rape. Thinking, 'I might have been date raped,' means you weren't raped." His comments received sustained criticism.{{Cite news |last=Stack |first=Liam |date=April 5, 2017 |title=Who Is Mike Cernovich? A Guide |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/mike-cernovich-bio-who.html |url-status=live |access-date=April 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406025234/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/mike-cernovich-bio-who.html |archive-date=April 6, 2017 |issn=0362-4331}}

In 2015, Cernovich self-published Gorilla Mindset: How to Control Your Thoughts and Emotions, Improve Your Health and Fitness, Make More Money and Live Life on Your Terms, which became a bestseller in the motivational self-help category on Amazon.

In 2016, Cernovich published Danger & Play: Essays on Embracing Masculinity.{{cite news |last1=Tuttle |first1=Ian |date=April 5, 2017 |title=The White House Should Not Be Promoting Mike Cernovich |work=National Review |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/04/mike-cernovich-conspiracy-theories-fake-masculinity-donald-trump/ |access-date=October 2, 2020 |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111201530/https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/04/mike-cernovich-conspiracy-theories-fake-masculinity-donald-trump/ |url-status=live }} In October 2016, he published MAGA Mindset: Making YOU and America Great Again through Castalia House, a Finnish publishing house founded by Vox Day which primarily publishes science fiction and fantasy.

In 2016, Cernovich was an associate producer for Cassie Jaye's documentary The Red Pill, which discusses the men's rights movement, and issues like male suicide, child custody, and educational inequality.

In 2018, Cernovich produced a documentary called Hoaxed: Everything They Told You Is a Lie, with associate producers Scooter Downey and Jon Du Toit. The Hollywood Reporter described it as "a right-wing take on corporate malfeasance and media bias".{{Cite magazine|title=Are Streamers Muzzling Controversial Documentaries?|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/are-streamers-muzzling-controversial-docs-1299790|access-date=January 6, 2021|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|archive-date=December 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223235943/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/are-streamers-muzzling-controversial-docs-1299790|url-status=live}} The movie interviewed a wide range of conservative figures, including Anthony Scaramucci, Jordan Peterson, Scott Adams, James O'Keefe, and Alex Jones.{{Citation |last1=Downey |first1=Scooter |title=Hoaxed |date=2019-01-24 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8991264/?ref_=nm_knf_i3 |type=Documentary |publisher=El Ride Productions |access-date=2022-11-14 |last2=du Toit |first2=Jon |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114160632/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8991264/?ref_=nm_knf_i3 |url-status=live }} Hoaxed was also made into a book of the same name. The documentary was listed on the Amazon platform before being removed without comment in 2020.{{Cite magazine |title=Are Streamers Muzzling Controversial Documentaries? |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/are-streamers-muzzling-controversial-docs-1299790 |access-date=January 6, 2021 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-date=December 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223235943/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/are-streamers-muzzling-controversial-docs-1299790 |url-status=live }}

Cernovich's writings turned political after Trump announced his candidacy for the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He became notable for his trolling; his maxims were "conflict is attention", and "attention is influence". He identified himself as alt-right, and joined forces with provocateurs like Milo Yiannopoulos.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite magazine |last=Schreckinger |first=Ben |date=January 2017 |title=The Alt-Right Comes to Washington |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/alt-right-trump-washington-dc-power-milo-214629/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=Politico Magazine |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116104947/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/alt-right-trump-washington-dc-power-milo-214629/ |url-status=live }}
• {{cite magazine |last1=Marantz |first1=Andrew |title=Trolls for Trump |magazine=The New Yorker |date=October 31, 2016 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/31/trolls-for-trump |access-date=November 4, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105234714/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/31/trolls-for-trump |archive-date=November 5, 2016 }} Early on, the alt-right was a "big-tent" that included "any conservative or reactionary who was [...] too belligerently antiestablishment to feel at home in the Republican Party".{{Sfn|Marantz|2019|p=41-43}} In November 2016, white nationalist Richard B. Spencer, who also self-identified as alt-right, became its "indelible face" after a video of him giving a Nazi salute provoked universal outrage.Multiple citations:
• {{harvnb|Marantz|2019|pp=44–45|loc=“On cable news and across social media, Spencer became the indelible face of the alt-right, [which] became indelibly linked to neo-Nazism.”}}
• {{Cite magazine |last1=Appelbaum |first1=Daniel |last2=Lombroso |first2=Yoni |date=2016-11-21 |title='Hail Trump!': Video of White Nationalists Cheering the President-Elect |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/11/richard-spencer-speech-npi/508379/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=The Atlantic |language=en |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521211612/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/11/richard-spencer-speech-npi/508379/ |url-status=live }} This led to a rift in the alt-right movement between white nationalists and civic nationalists, with the former branding the latter "cuckservatives" and "alt-lite".{{Cite journal |last=Fowlie |first=Craig |date=2022-05-13 |title=American Anti-Fascism Comes of Age |url=https://brill.com/view/journals/fasc/11/1/article-p139_6.xml |journal=Fascism |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=139–144 |doi=10.1163/22116257-bja10033 |s2cid=248926436 |issn=2211-6257 |quote=Burley is an acute observer of the range of far-right ideological positions, organising strategies and symbolism, and carefully delineates the splits within the movement between the white supremacist factions, the civic nationalist so-called ‘alt-lite’, and the patriot movement of militias and paramilitary groups |access-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114135750/https://brill.com/view/journals/fasc/11/1/article-p139_6.xml |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |doi-access=free }}More citations:
• {{harvnb|Hawley|2017|p=143|loc="[The spectacle] forced everyone associated with the alt-right to make a choice: stand with Richard Spencer, or disavow him and the term he’d invented."}}
• {{Cite magazine |last=Schreckinger |first=Ben |date=January 2017 |title=The Alt-Right Comes to Washington |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/alt-right-trump-washington-dc-power-milo-214629/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=Politico Magazine |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116104947/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/alt-right-trump-washington-dc-power-milo-214629/ |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Allan |title=Prominent pro-Trump Twitter troll admits that he deserved to be called the worst alt-right insult |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/mike-cernovich-called-a-cuck-2017-1 |access-date=2022-11-16 |work=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116104952/https://www.businessinsider.com/mike-cernovich-called-a-cuck-2017-1 |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite magazine |last=Marantz |first=Andrew |date=2017-07-06 |title=The Alt-Right Branding War Has Torn the Movement in Two |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-alt-right-branding-war-has-torn-the-movement-in-two |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |archive-date=August 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831003601/https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-alt-right-branding-war-has-torn-the-movement-in-two |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite magazine |last=Berger |first=J. M. |date=2017-08-14 |title=What the Next Round of Alt-Right Rallies Will Reveal |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/the-alt-right-stands-at-a-crossroads/536748/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=The Atlantic |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116104949/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/the-alt-right-stands-at-a-crossroads/536748/ |url-status=live }} Following the schism, Cernovich disassociated himself from alt-right, saying: "The first order of business is getting that Nazi shit way the fuck away from me". He adopted the label "new right", and has also described himself as an economic nationalist.Multiple citations:
• {{harvnb|Marantz|2019|p=45|loc=“I knew something like this would happen eventually,” Cernovich said a few days after Hailgate. “We’ll figure out a new name. The first order of business is getting that Nazi shit way the fuck away from me."}}
• {{Cite magazine |last=Schreckinger |first=Ben |date=January 2017 |title=The Alt-Right Comes to Washington |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/alt-right-trump-washington-dc-power-milo-214629/ |magazine=Politico Magazine |language=en |access-date=2022-11-16 |quote=Cernovich now uses the label “new right” to describe himself. [...] [He] describes himself as an economic nationalist primarily concerned with the welfare of average Americans. |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116104947/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/alt-right-trump-washington-dc-power-milo-214629/ |url-status=live }}

Cernovich was one of the organizers of the January 2017 DeploraBall inaugural ball to celebrate Trump's victory;{{Cite news |last=Homans |first=Charles |date=January 20, 2017 |title=Trumpism's Twitter Wing Celebrates With a 'DeploraBall' |work=The New York Times Magazine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/magazine/trumpisms-twitter-wing-celebrates-with-a-deploraball.html |access-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121151306/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/magazine/trumpisms-twitter-wing-celebrates-with-a-deploraball.html |url-status=live }} the name was a reference to Hillary Clinton's earlier "basket of deplorables" comment.{{Cite news |last=Gross |first=Terry |date=November 12, 2019 |title=How Internet Trolls And Online Extremists Are 'Hijacking' American Politics |language=en |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/11/12/778502116/how-internet-trolls-and-online-extremists-are-hijacking-american-politics |access-date=2022-11-16 |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116113233/https://www.npr.org/2019/11/12/778502116/how-internet-trolls-and-online-extremists-are-hijacking-american-politics |url-status=live }} He banned fellow organizer Baked Alaska after the latter made an antisemitic tweet, and banned Spencer after he discovered the latter had bought a ticket.Multiple citations:

• {{harvnb|Marantz|2019|p=45}}
• {{Cite magazine |last=Gray |first=Rosie |date=2017-01-12 |title=An Alt-Right Leader Sets Up Shop in Northern Virginia |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/a-one-stop-shop-for-the-alt-right/512921/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=The Atlantic |language=en |archive-date=January 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117103841/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/a-one-stop-shop-for-the-alt-right/512921/ |url-status=live }} Notable attendees of the DeploraBall include Martin Shkreli, James O'Keefe, and Cassandra Fairbanks; Peter Thiel also briefly appeared.Multiple citations:
• {{Cite magazine |last=Lapowsky |first=Issie |title=At the DeploraBall, Trump's Online Army Wonders: What Now? |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2017/01/deploraball-trumps-online-army-wonders-now/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116104952/https://www.wired.com/2017/01/deploraball-trumps-online-army-wonders-now/ |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite magazine |last=Marantz |first=Andrew |date=2017-01-30 |title=Trump Supporters at the DeploraBall |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/06/trump-supporters-at-the-deploraball |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |archive-date=July 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718190300/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/06/trump-supporters-at-the-deploraball |url-status=live }} Outside the ball, there were clashes between Trump supporters and protesters.{{Cite news |last=Gambino |first=Lauren |date=2017-01-20 |title=DeploraBall: Trump lovers and haters clash at Washington DC event |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/20/deploraball-trump-lovers-and-haters-clash-at-washington-dc-event |access-date=2022-11-16 |work=The Guardian |language=en}}

In 2015 and 2016, Cernovich repeatedly made false claims that white South Africans were being eliminated in a genocide, which were debunked by Genocide Watch.{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2016 |title=Claims about 'white genocide' in South Africa unsupported |url=http://africacheck.org/fact-checks/spotchecks/claims-about-white-genocide-south-africa-unsupported |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Africa Check |language=en |quote=the organisation has {{as written|publ|ically [sic]}} stated that “white genocide is not underway in South Africa |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116115435/https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/spotchecks/claims-about-white-genocide-south-africa-unsupported |url-status=live }} He later deleted the tweets.{{Cite news |last1=Kaczynski |first1=Andrew |last2=McDermott |first2=Nathan |date=2017-03-24 |title=Virginia gubernatorial candidate laughed about GOP 'cucks' on controversial conspiracy theorist's show |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/24/politics/kfile-virginia-governor-livestream-appearance/index.html |access-date=2022-11-16 |work=CNN |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116115432/https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/24/politics/kfile-virginia-governor-livestream-appearance/index.html |url-status=live }}

Politico described him in 2016 as wanting an IQ test requirement for immigrants and to end federal funding for universities.{{Cite magazine |last=Schreckinger |first=Ben |date=January 2017 |title=The Alt-Right Comes to Washington |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/alt-right-trump-washington-dc-power-milo-214629/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116104947/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/alt-right-trump-washington-dc-power-milo-214629/ |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=Politico Magazine |language=en}} "Cernovich is also an avid consumer and progenitor of conspiracy theories" Interviewed on 60 Minutes in March 2017, Cernovich advocated single-payer healthcare.{{cite news |last=Matthews |first=Dylan |date=April 4, 2017 |title=Why the alt-right loves single-payer health care |work=Vox |url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/4/15164598/alt-right-single-payer-health-care-trump |access-date=August 17, 2018 |archive-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105133724/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/4/15164598/alt-right-single-payer-health-care-trump |url-status=live }} Cernovich has supported "some sort of universal basic income",{{cite magazine |last=Galupo |first=Scott |date=April 5, 2017 |title=Donald Trump, swamp thing |url=https://theweek.com/articles/689970/donald-trump-swamp-thing |magazine=The Week |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-date=December 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209180352/https://theweek.com/articles/689970/donald-trump-swamp-thing |url-status=live }} and suggested in 2018 that the "new right" was "more of a populist movement than a conservative or liberal movement", and that "conservatism is on the way out".{{cite magazine |last1=Gray |first1=Rosie |date=January 20, 2017 |title=The 'New Right' and the 'Alt-Right' Party on a Fractious Night |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/the-new-right-and-the-alt-right-party-on-a-fractious-night/514001/ |magazine=The Atlantic |access-date=August 17, 2018 |archive-date=October 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191004044846/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/the-new-right-and-the-alt-right-party-on-a-fractious-night/514001/ |url-status=live }}

During the 2016 United States presidential campaign, Cernovich saw Donald Trump as a kindred spirit and, according to Politico, during the 2016 campaign and early period of the Trump administration, Cernovich was an "indefatigable Trump cheerleader" and was among a group of alt-right celebrities who believed they could become a major influence on the Republican Party.{{cite news |last1=Schreckinger |first1=Ben |date=October 29, 2018 |title=Trump's Culture Warriors Go Home |agency=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/10/29/trump-cernovich-milo-yiannopoulos-richard-spencer-alt-right-2018-221916 |access-date=November 1, 2018 |archive-date=October 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031232147/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/10/29/trump-cernovich-milo-yiannopoulos-richard-spencer-alt-right-2018-221916 |url-status=live }}

In 2018, Cernovich became "increasingly critical" of Trump, and less politically active. In September 2018, he tweeted his disappointment, "There's no Wall. She's not locked up. But Flynn got fired and sent to wolves. And Saudi Arabia sold weapons of murder. I give zero f-cks about Republicans losing the House." Also in 2018, Cernovich criticized the Trump administration's missile strikes against Syria, which divided the president's political base.{{cite news |last=Jackson |first=Henry C. |date=April 13, 2018 |title=Trump supporters rip decision to strike Syria |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/13/trump-supporters-syria-strikes-523061 |access-date=May 26, 2018 |work=Politico |language=en |archive-date=May 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527023522/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/13/trump-supporters-syria-strikes-523061 |url-status=live }}

Following the 2022 midterm elections, Cernovich said the losses meant that "at least no one has to suck up to Trump anymore", and that "Trump has zero shot at 2024". He voiced his support for Ron DeSantis for the 2024 election.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |last=Wilkie |first=Christina |title=Trump lashes out at DeSantis and Virginia Gov. Youngkin as he readies 2024 launch in the week ahead |language=en |work=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/12/trump-2024-campaign-trump-lashes-out-at-desantis-and-youngkin-.html |access-date=2022-11-14 |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114151829/https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/12/trump-2024-campaign-trump-lashes-out-at-desantis-and-youngkin-.html |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |date=2022-11-09 |title=Donald Trump and US midterms: How bad was his night? |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63569844 |access-date=2022-11-14 |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114151718/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63569844 |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Samuels |first=Brett |date=2022-11-09 |title=DeSantis's big night fuels prospect of 2024 face-off with Trump |language=en-US |work=The Hill |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3726685-desantiss-big-night-fuels-prospect-of-2024-face-off-with-trump/ |access-date=2022-11-14 |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114205305/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3726685-desantiss-big-night-fuels-prospect-of-2024-face-off-with-trump/ |url-status=live }}

{{Expand section|date=November 2022}}

During the 2016 campaign, Cernovich told journalist Andrew Marantz: "if there's a story that can hurt Hillary, I want it in the news cycle".{{Sfn|Marantz|2019|p=191}} He set out to coin and promote hashtags that would promote these stories, and aimed to get the stories covered by conservative news aggregator The Drudge Report, saying: "If it's on Drudge, then it's on Hannity. If it's on Hannity, then Brian Stelter's talking about it on CNN".{{Sfn|Marantz|2019|p=191}} Researchers from Oxford University said in a 2020 book that it exemplifies a propaganda pipeline that "[takes] advantage of the media ecosystem architecture", in which "destructive memes" that emerge from the media's periphery (social media and sites like Infowars) can spread to its core, as mainstream media covers the controversies.{{Cite book |last1=Benkler |first1=Yochai |chapter-url=https://academic.oup.com/book/26406/chapter/194773842 |chapter=The Propaganda Pipeline: Hacking the Core from the Periphery |last2=Faris |first2=Robert |last3=Roberts |first3=Hal |title=Network Propaganda |date=2018-10-18 |pages=225–234 |language=en |doi=10.1093/oso/9780190923624.003.0007 |isbn=978-0190923624 |access-date=November 17, 2022 |archive-date=November 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117065653/https://academic.oup.com/book/26406/chapter/194773842 |url-status=live }}

Politico has described Cernovich as an "avid consumer and progenitor of conspiracy theories".

During the 2016 campaign, Cernovich was "among the first" to spread rumors about Hillary Clinton's health. Clinton had previously experienced a brain concussion and blood clots, but testing found "complete resolution", and her doctors attested to her good health.{{Cite web |last=Altman |first=Lawrence K. |date=2015-07-31 |title=No Serious Health Issues for Hillary Clinton, Her Doctor Reports |url=https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/07/31/doctor-says-hillary-clinton-is-fit-to-serve/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=The New York Times |language=en |archive-date=February 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227060434/https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/07/31/doctor-says-hillary-clinton-is-fit-to-serve/ |url-status=live }} In March 2016, he claimed that a photo of Hillary Clinton winking showed she had experienced a "mild stroke".{{Sfn|Marantz|2019|p=180}} In August, he promoted the hashtags: #CoughingHillary and #SickHillary on Twitter, and spread rumors that Clinton had epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |date=2016-09-11 |title=Le "malaise" de Hillary Clinton relance les folles rumeurs sur sa santé |language=fr |work=L'Obs |url=https://www.nouvelobs.com/monde/elections-americaines/20160911.OBS7836/le-malaise-de-hillary-clinton-relance-les-folles-rumeurs-sur-sa-sante.html |access-date=2022-11-14 |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114153801/https://www.nouvelobs.com/monde/elections-americaines/20160911.OBS7836/le-malaise-de-hillary-clinton-relance-les-folles-rumeurs-sur-sa-sante.html |url-status=live }}
• {{harvnb|Marantz|2019|p=180|loc=“In March 2016, during a Democratic debate, he tweeted, “Hillary’s face looks like melting candle wax. Imagine what her brain looks like.” [...] By August, it was “obvious” to him that Clinton was suffering from both a seizure disorder and Parkinson’s disease"}} These rumors were amplified by the Drudge Report website, Rudy Giuliani,{{Sfn|Marantz|2019|p=180|loc="Go online and put down 'Hillary Clinton illness,' take a look at the videos for yourself," Rudy Giuliani [...] said on Fox News."}} and Donald Trump.{{Sfn|Marantz|2019|p="In early September, Donald Trump tweeted, "Mainstream media never covered Hillary's massive 'hacking' or coughing attack, yet it is #1 trending. What's up?"}} In September 2016, Clinton was filmed collapsing from pneumonia after a memorial service, and Cernovich started the #HillarysHealth hashtag,{{Sfn|Marantz|2019|pp=180-181}} which trended nationwide; that month, Cernovich's tweets were seen more than 100{{Nbsp}}million times.

In November 2016, Cernovich and other conspiracists promoted the baseless Pizzagate conspiracy theory, which misinterpreted the leaked Podesta emails to imply that high-ranking Democrats were involved in a child sex-trafficking ring.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |last1=Huang |first1=Gregor Aisch, Jon |last2=Kang |first2=Cecilia |date=December 10, 2016 |title=Dissecting the #PizzaGate Conspiracy Theories |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/10/business/media/pizzagate.html |url-status=live |access-date=April 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161210112745/http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/10/business/media/pizzagate.html |archive-date=December 10, 2016 |issn= }}
• {{Cite news |last=Shelbourne |first=Mallory |date=April 25, 2017 |title=Writer who pushed 'Pizzagate' conspiracy theory says he'll attend WH briefing |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/330510-writer-who-pushed-pizzagate-conspiracy-theory-says-he-has-white-house-press |access-date=January 6, 2021 |work=The Hill |language=en |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112005238/http://thehill.com/homenews/media/330510-writer-who-pushed-pizzagate-conspiracy-theory-says-he-has-white-house-press |url-status=live }} He also claimed that a 1997 video of Marina Abramovic's "spirit cooking" performance art constituted "occult symbolism" to "openly taunt the public", and that it proved that Clinton's inner circle was part of a sex cult.{{Cite magazine |last=Levitz |first=Eric |title=Report: Clinton Linked to Satanic Ritual Involving Children and Marina Abramovic |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2016/11/spirit-cooking-explained-satanic-ritual-or-fun-dinner.html |access-date=2022-11-17 |magazine=New York |language=en-us |archive-date=November 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117064527/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2016/11/spirit-cooking-explained-satanic-ritual-or-fun-dinner.html |url-status=live }} He helped #Pizzagate become one of the biggest trending hashtags on Twitter;Multiple citations:
• {{Cite news |last1=Mak |first1=Tim |last2=Collins |first2=Ben |date=2016-11-04 |title=Hannity and Drudge Cite WikiLeaks to Claim Clinton Campaign Worships Satan |language=en |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/11/04/drudge-and-the-alt-right-cite-wikileaks-to-claim-clinton-campaign-worships-satan |access-date=2022-11-17}}
• {{harvnb|Wendling|2018|loc=Pages 143: "The biggest hashtags on [Twitter] in late 2016 and beyond were #MAGA and #Pizzagate"}} the hashtag drew conspiracy theorists from across the political spectrum, whose common link was their "profound distrust of the mainstream media".{{Sfn|Wendling|2018|p=160-162|loc="And so "pizzagate" broke out of 4chan and alt-right Reddit and drew in people from the left, or formerly from the left [... whose] common link [...] was a profound distrust of the mainstream media"}} The rumors later inspired a gun-wielding man to visit Comet Ping Pong.{{Cite news |last=Hsu |first=Spencer S. |date=2017-03-24 |title=Comet Pizza gunman pleads guilty to federal and local charges |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/comet-pizza-gunman-to-appear-at-plea-deal-hearing-friday-morning/2017/03/23/e12c91ba-0986-11e7-b77c-0047d15a24e0_story.html |access-date=2022-11-16 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=March 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324182045/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/comet-pizza-gunman-to-appear-at-plea-deal-hearing-friday-morning/2017/03/23/e12c91ba-0986-11e7-b77c-0047d15a24e0_story.html |url-status=live }} Cernovich, who had used the hashtag 60 times, later deleted the tweets, and downplayed his involvement in propagating the theory.{{Cite news |date=February 9, 2018 |title=Mike Cernovich, right-wing conspiracy theorist, considers congressional campaign in California |website=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/938436baa8a6c16f00c0c671c82f14e0 |access-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213102030/https://apnews.com/article/938436baa8a6c16f00c0c671c82f14e0 |url-status=live }}

Cernovich regularly asserts, without evidence, that there are active child sex rings in Washington, D.C. and in Hollywood.{{cite magazine |last=Singal |first=Jesse |title=How Mike Cernovich Is Pizzagating His Latest Victim |url=https://nymag.com/selectall/2016/12/how-mike-cernovich-is-pizzagating-his-latest-victim.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222042112/http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/12/how-mike-cernovich-is-pizzagating-his-latest-victim.html |archive-date=December 22, 2016 |magazine=New York Magazine}}{{Cite magazine |last=McKew |first=Molly |date=October 3, 2018 |title=Brett Kavanaugh and the Information Terrorists Trying to Reshape America |url=https://www.wired.com/story/information-terrorists-trying-to-reshape-america/ |language=en-US |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=Wired |archive-date=December 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224123118/https://www.wired.com/story/information-terrorists-trying-to-reshape-america/ |url-status=live }} He has accused his opponents of being pedophiles on many occasions. A visit to Haiti by the Clintons, he saw as evidence the couple were involved in child trafficking.{{cite news |last1=López G. |first1=Cristina |last2=Karet |first2=Brendan |last3=Kerr |first3=John |date=August 21, 2018 |title=Cernovich has pushed conspiracy theories about pedophilia, Satanism, 'spirit cooking,' and more |work=Media Matters for America |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/maga-trolls/mike-cernovichs-far-right-conspiracy-theories-bigotry-and-association-white |access-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-date=December 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222051919/https://www.mediamatters.org/maga-trolls/mike-cernovichs-far-right-conspiracy-theories-bigotry-and-association-white |url-status=live }} In another YouTube video, he said that most people employed by the news media and "every A-list actor" in Hollywood were also pedophiles.

Cernovich has also supported the unevidenced theory that there were multiple shooters at the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, which he claims the government is covering up. In 2016, Cernovich worked with Chuck Johnson and Wikileaks to offer a bounty for information supporting the conspiracy theory that murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich had been behind a leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee. In April 2017, Cernovich promoted a conspiracy theory that the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack in Syria was a hoax funded by an American financier.{{cite news |date=April 14, 2017 |title=How a pair of self-publicists wound up as apologists for Assad |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21720627-trail-damascus-alex-jones-and-mike-cernovich-how-pair-self-publicists |url-status=live |access-date=April 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413184021/http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21720627-trail-damascus-alex-jones-and-mike-cernovich-how-pair-self-publicists |archive-date=April 13, 2017}}

Cernovich commissioned artist Ben Garrison to draw an antisemitic cartoon portraying Generals H.R. McMaster and David Petraeus being controlled by Jewish puppetmasters- specifically George Soros and the Rothschild Family. Garrison was disinvited from an event at the White House in 2019 following complaints about the cartoon from the Anti-Defamation League.{{cite news|last=Oster|first=Marcy|date=July 8, 2019|title=Artist who drew anti-Semitic cartoon invited to White House|newspaper=Times of Israel|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/artist-who-drew-anti-semitic-cartoon-invited-to-white-house/|access-date=April 8, 2024|archive-date=April 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409012717/https://www.timesofisrael.com/artist-who-drew-anti-semitic-cartoon-invited-to-white-house/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Dolsten|first=Josefin|date=July 10, 2019|title=Cartoonist disinvited from White House defends image widely labeled as anti-Semitic|newspaper=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|url=https://www.jta.org/2019/07/10/united-states/cartoonist-disinvited-from-white-house-defends-image-widely-labeled-as-anti-semitic|access-date=April 8, 2024|archive-date=July 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712134732/https://www.jta.org/2019/07/10/united-states/cartoonist-disinvited-from-white-house-defends-image-widely-labeled-as-anti-semitic|url-status=live}}

Cernovich began hosting the fourth hour once a week on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' InfoWars show in May 2017.{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/media/mike-cernovich-infowars-alex-jones/index.html|title=Right-wing troll Mike Cernovich goes professional with new hosting gig at InfoWars|first=Oliver|last=Darcy|work=CNN|date=May 3, 2017|access-date=August 3, 2020|archive-date=May 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507021733/http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/media/mike-cernovich-infowars-alex-jones/index.html|url-status=live}}

During the 2021 effort to recall incumbent California governor Gavin Newsom, Cernovich floated a potential run.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |last=Hubler |first=Shawn |date=September 14, 2021 |title=A Recall for Newsom in California? Talk Grows as Governors Come Under Attack |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/us/newsom-recall.html |access-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116055011/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/us/newsom-recall.html |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Ramrayka |first=Liza |title=California governor, slammed for COVID performance, faces recall |language=en |website=Al Jazeera English |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/16/california-governor-slammed-for-covid-performance-faces-recall |access-date=2022-11-16 |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116055007/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/16/california-governor-slammed-for-covid-performance-faces-recall |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |date=February 9, 2018 |title=Mike Cernovich, right-wing conspiracy theorist, considers congressional campaign in California |url=https://apnews.com/article/938436baa8a6c16f00c0c671c82f14e0 |access-date=January 6, 2021 |website=Associated Press |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213102030/https://apnews.com/article/938436baa8a6c16f00c0c671c82f14e0 |url-status=live }}

Cernovich's high prominence in pro-Trump social media circles led him to build a network of sympathetic sources, and break several stories on his blog, which he promoted on Twitter and video streaming sites like Periscope.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite magazine |last=Marantz |first=Andrew |date=2017-04-06 |title=Can a Pro-Trump Meme Maker Get a Real News Scoop? |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/can-mike-cernovich-a-pro-trump-meme-maker-get-a-real-news-scoop |access-date=2022-11-14 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120516/https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/can-mike-cernovich-a-pro-trump-meme-maker-get-a-real-news-scoop |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Stack |first=Liam |date=2017-04-05 |title=Who Is Mike Cernovich? A Guide |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/mike-cernovich-bio-who.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406025234/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/mike-cernovich-bio-who.html |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Ohlheiser |first=Abby |date=April 4, 2017 |title=It's Mike Cernovich's world, and you may not be living in it, but his followers sure are |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/04/04/its-mike-cernovichs-world-and-you-may-not-be-living-in-it-but-his-followers-sure-are/ |access-date=November 15, 2022 |newspaper=Washington Post |archive-date=April 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406051848/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/04/04/its-mike-cernovichs-world-and-you-may-not-be-living-in-it-but-his-followers-sure-are/ |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |date=April 6, 2017 |title=Who Is Mike Cernovich? |url=https://www.tampabay.com/incoming/who-is-mike-cernovich/2319320/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=Tampa Bay Times |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120819/https://www.tampabay.com/incoming/who-is-mike-cernovich/2319320/ |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Darcy |first=Tom Kludt and Oliver |date=2017-12-05 |title=How a joke, and Mike Cernovich, got Sam Seder booted from MSNBC |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/05/media/sam-seder-msnbc-mike-cernovich/index.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=CNN Business |quote=[Cernovich] also gained prominence in the Trump-era for legitimate national security related scoops |archive-date=May 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517193848/https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/05/media/sam-seder-msnbc-mike-cernovich/index.html |url-status=live }} The New Yorker's Andrew Marantz described it as "hardly journalism in its highest form. But it's not exactly fake news, either", comparing it to the Huffington Post's citizen journalism.{{Cite magazine |last=Marantz |first=Andrew |date=2017-04-06 |title=Can a Pro-Trump Meme Maker Get a Real News Scoop? |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/can-mike-cernovich-a-pro-trump-meme-maker-get-a-real-news-scoop |access-date=2022-11-14 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120516/https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/can-mike-cernovich-a-pro-trump-meme-maker-get-a-real-news-scoop |url-status=live }}

On April 2, 2017, Cernovich broke the news that Susan Rice, Obama's national security advisor, had requested the unmasking of several Trump transition officials who appeared in intelligence reports.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |last=Singal |first=Jesse |title=Why the White House Is Boosting Mike Cernovich |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/04/why-the-white-house-is-boosting-mike-cernovich.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=New York Magazine |language=en-us |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120522/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/04/why-the-white-house-is-boosting-mike-cernovich.html |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite magazine |last=Marantz |first=Andrew |date=2017-04-06 |title=Can a Pro-Trump Meme Maker Get a Real News Scoop? |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/can-mike-cernovich-a-pro-trump-meme-maker-get-a-real-news-scoop |access-date=2022-11-14 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120516/https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/can-mike-cernovich-a-pro-trump-meme-maker-get-a-real-news-scoop |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Dilanian |first=Ken |date=April 4, 2017 |title=What is unmasking, and did Susan Rice do anything wrong? |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-unmasking-did-susan-rice-do-anything-wrong-n742476 |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120517/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-unmasking-did-susan-rice-do-anything-wrong-n742476 |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Stack |first=Liam |date=2017-04-05 |title=Who Is Mike Cernovich? A Guide |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/mike-cernovich-bio-who.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406025234/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/mike-cernovich-bio-who.html |url-status=live }} When electronic eavesdropping of foreign officials incidentally capture American citizens' names, those names are redacted in intelligence reports, but can be "unmasked" through a legal process.{{Cite news |last=Lake |first=Eli |date=April 3, 2017 |title=Top Obama Adviser Sought Names of Trump Associates in Intel |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2017-04-03/top-obama-adviser-sought-names-of-trump-associates-in-intel#xj4y7vzkg |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=Bloomberg News |archive-date=December 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212173510/https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2017-04-03/top-obama-adviser-sought-names-of-trump-associates-in-intel#xj4y7vzkg |url-status=live }} Cernovich publicized his claims in a Medium.com article, in tweets, and on Periscope live streams. The hashtag #SusanRice became a trending topic on Twitter; he later posted a screenshot showing the tweets received 400,000 impressions.{{Cite web |last=Cernovich |first=Mike |date=April 3, 2017 |title=Fake News Alert! — Eli Lake and Bloomberg Plagiarized Mike Cernovich |url=https://medium.com/@Cernovich/fake-news-eli-lake-and-bloomberg-plagiarized-mike-cernovich-susanrice-7809d337be8b |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404024832/https://medium.com/@Cernovich/fake-news-eli-lake-and-bloomberg-plagiarized-mike-cernovich-susanrice-7809d337be8b |archive-date=April 4, 2017 |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=Medium.com}} Cernovich claimed that his sources were sympathetic employees of mainstream media outlets, whose outlets were "sitting on this story".{{Cite news |last1=Pearce |first1=Matt |last2=Finnegan |first2=Michael |date=April 10, 2017 |title=The mainstream and conservative media are living in different worlds. So are those who read them |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-us-two-worlds-20170410-story.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |newspaper=LA Times |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120516/https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-us-two-worlds-20170410-story.html |url-status=live }}

The next day, Bloomberg News published its story on the intelligence unmasking. The White House falsely claimed it was a "smoking gun" that supported its past allegations that Obama had "illegally wiretapped" Trump Tower, though the Susan Rice story was tangential to those claims.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |last=Lake |first=Eli |date=April 3, 2017 |title=Top Obama Adviser Sought Names of Trump Associates in Intel |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2017-04-03/top-obama-adviser-sought-names-of-trump-associates-in-intel#xj4y7vzkg |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=Bloomberg News |archive-date=December 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212173510/https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2017-04-03/top-obama-adviser-sought-names-of-trump-associates-in-intel#xj4y7vzkg |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Kirkland |first=Allegra |date=2017-04-03 |title=Experts Say Susan Rice Had Every Right To Request 'Unmasking' In Intel Reports |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/surveillance-experts-swat-down-susan-rice-unmasking-hysteria |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120520/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/surveillance-experts-swat-down-susan-rice-unmasking-hysteria |url-status=live }} Trump himself, conservative commentators Tucker Carlson and David French, White House conselor Kellyanne Conway, and congressmen Rand Paul and Devin Nunes all promoted the story.Multiple citations:
• {{Cite news |last=Beauchamp |first=Zack |date=2017-04-04 |title=President Trump's wild charge that Susan Rice committed a crime, explained |url=https://www.vox.com/world/2017/4/4/15177640/susan-rice-unmasking |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Vox |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120518/https://www.vox.com/world/2017/4/4/15177640/susan-rice-unmasking |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Dilanian |first=Ken |date=April 4, 2017 |title=What is unmasking, and did Susan Rice do anything wrong? |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-unmasking-did-susan-rice-do-anything-wrong-n742476 |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120517/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-unmasking-did-susan-rice-do-anything-wrong-n742476 |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=French |first=David |date=2017-09-14 |title=Did Susan Rice Lie, Again? |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/09/susan-rice-devin-nunes-unmasking-controversy-did-rice-lie/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=National Review |language=en-US |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120516/https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/09/susan-rice-devin-nunes-unmasking-controversy-did-rice-lie/ |url-status=live }} Donald Trump Jr. claimed Cernovich deserved a Pulitzer Prize.Multiple citations:
• {{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Christopher |date=April 4, 2017 |title=Donald Trump Jr. proposes conspiracy theorist for Pulitzer for breaking Susan Rice story |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-jr-proposes-conspiracy-theorist-for-pulitzer-for-breaking-susan-rice-story-162928866.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=Yahoo News |language=en-US |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120516/https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-jr-proposes-conspiracy-theorist-for-pulitzer-for-breaking-susan-rice-story-162928866.html |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Moffitt |first=Mike |date=2017-04-04 |title=Trump Jr.: Pizzagate blogger deserves Pulitzer for Susan Rice story |url=https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Trump-Jr-Pizzagate-blogger-deserves-Pulitzer-11049765.php |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=SFGATE |language=en-US |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120517/https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Trump-Jr-Pizzagate-blogger-deserves-Pulitzer-11049765.php |url-status=live }} The story was criticized as a distraction from the Russia probe investigating Trump.{{Cite news |last1=Dilanian |first1=Ken |last2=Siemaszko |first2=Corky |date=April 4, 2017 |title=Susan Rice speaks out on 'unmasking' accusations: 'I leaked nothing to nobody' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/susan-rice-speaks-out-unmasking-accusations-i-leaked-nothing-nobody-n742486 |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120518/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/susan-rice-speaks-out-unmasking-accusations-i-leaked-nothing-nobody-n742486 |url-status=live }}

The New Yorker's Ryan Lizza said there were "valid reasons" for concerns about unmasking, but that it was constrained by a legal process and independent review, and noted there was no evidence of misconduct.{{Cite magazine |last=Lizza |first=Ryan |date=2017-04-04 |title=Susan Rice and the Latest Bogus Attempt to Justify Trump's Wiretapping Tweet |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/ryan-lizza/susan-rice-and-the-latest-bogus-attempt-to-justify-trumps-wiretapping-tweet |access-date=2022-11-15 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |archive-date=August 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819051144/https://www.newyorker.com/news/ryan-lizza/susan-rice-and-the-latest-bogus-attempt-to-justify-trumps-wiretapping-tweet |url-status=live }} Experts and bipartisan congresspeople concluded Susan Rice was "doing her job", that there was "absolutely" no smoking gun in the unmasked reports, and that the unmaskings were "neither unusual nor against the law".Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |last=Kirkland |first=Allegra |date=2017-04-03 |title=Experts Say Susan Rice Had Every Right To Request 'Unmasking' In Intel Reports |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/surveillance-experts-swat-down-susan-rice-unmasking-hysteria |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120520/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/surveillance-experts-swat-down-susan-rice-unmasking-hysteria |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Bertrand |first=Natasha |title=We now have a better idea who's behind 'unmasking' Trump officials' contact with foreign agents — and why |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/susan-rice-trump-unmask-intelligence-wiretap-2017-4 |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120516/https://www.businessinsider.com/susan-rice-trump-unmask-intelligence-wiretap-2017-4 |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Dilanian |first=Ken |date=April 17, 2017 |title=Susan Rice did nothing wrong, say Dem and GOP congressional aides |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/susan-rice-did-nothing-wrong-say-both-dems-republicans-n747406 |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613133700/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/susan-rice-did-nothing-wrong-say-both-dems-republicans-n747406 |url-status=live }}

In 2017, Cernovich launched a sustained campaign to influence Trump to fire his national security advisor, H. R. McMaster, claiming that McMaster was undermining the president's America First agenda.{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Rosie |date=2017-08-04 |title=The War Against H.R. McMaster |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/the-war-against-hr-mcmaster/536046/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=The Atlantic |language=en |archive-date=March 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323051726/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/the-war-against-hr-mcmaster/536046/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Cleary |first=Tom |date=2017-08-02 |title=HR McMaster Under Fire From Mike Cernovich & the Alt-Right |url=https://heavy.com/news/2017/08/hr-mcmaster-mike-cernovich-nsc-purge-obama-democrat-rice-rhodes/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Heavy.com |language=en-US |archive-date=May 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522144905/https://heavy.com/news/2017/08/hr-mcmaster-mike-cernovich-nsc-purge-obama-democrat-rice-rhodes/ |url-status=live }} He started the McMasterLeaks.com website to document his and others' criticisms of McMaster.{{Cite web |last=Liptak |first=Kevin |date=2017-08-04 |title=H.R. McMaster faces attacks from conservatives {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/04/politics/hr-mcmaster-john-kelly/index.html |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116174658/https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/04/politics/hr-mcmaster-john-kelly/index.html |url-status=live }}

On May 8, 2017, Cernovich reported that McMaster had called White House director of strategic communications Hope Hicks a "high schooler".{{Cite web |last=Brannen |first=Kate |title=The Knives Are Out for Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/05/09/the-knives-are-out-for-hr-mcmaster-trump-bannon-nsc/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Foreign Policy |date=May 9, 2017 |language=en-US |archive-date=July 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715114421/https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/05/09/the-knives-are-out-for-hr-mcmaster-trump-bannon-nsc/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Cernovich |first=Mike |date=May 8, 2022 |title=McMaster's Meltdown — Tells Staff he will not deal with "that high schooler" Hope Hicks |url=https://medium.com/@Cernovich/hr-mcmaster-hope-hick-high-schooler-white-house-drama-c2ac7ae6816e |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512021838/https://medium.com/@Cernovich/hr-mcmaster-hope-hick-high-schooler-white-house-drama-c2ac7ae6816e |archive-date=May 12, 2017 |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=Medium.com}} New York Magazine's Olivia Nuzzi later corroborated the quote.{{Cite web |last=Nuzzi |first=Olivia |date=2018-03-18 |title=What Hope Hicks Learned in Washington |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/03/what-hope-hicks-learned-in-washington.html |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Intelligencer |language=en-us |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116174658/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/03/what-hope-hicks-learned-in-washington.html |url-status=live }}

Cernovich was interviewed on Foreign Policy's podcast in relation to his anti-McMaster campaign, and discussed the tension between journalism and activism.{{Cite magazine |last=Weinberger |first=Sharon |title=The Object of McMaster's Obsession |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/08/15/the-object-of-mcmasters-obsession/ |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US |archive-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130032957/https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/08/15/the-object-of-mcmasters-obsession/ |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Shitty Media Men}}

On October 12, 2017, Buzzfeed revealed the existence of the "Shitty Media Men" spreadsheet, which had been created a day earlier in the aftermath of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, and was used by female journalists to crowdsource allegations ranging from "weird lunch dates" to rape and stalking committed by their male coworkers.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |last=Shafrir |first=Doree |title=What To Do With "Shitty Media Men"? |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/doree/what-to-do-with-shitty-media-men |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=BuzzFeed News |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120526/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/doree/what-to-do-with-shitty-media-men |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite magazine |last=Bugbee |first=Ruth Spencer, Stella |date=2017-10-21 |title=Alt-Right Blogger Posts Names From 'Shitty Men in Media' List |url=https://www.thecut.com/2017/10/mike-cernovich-shitty-men-in-media-list.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=The Cut |language=en-us |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120526/https://www.thecut.com/2017/10/mike-cernovich-shitty-men-in-media-list.html |url-status=live }} The list included reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, and Buzzfeed.

On October 16, Cernovich offered to pay $10,000 for a copy of the list. He obtained it on October 21, claiming the source "was insistent on not accepting anything", and announced his intent to release it; he published two of the names, but held back the rest after consulting his lawyer.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |last1=Calderone |first1=Michael |last2=Schwartz |first2=Jason |date=October 25, 2017 |title=Blogger amends vow to publish list of 'Shitty Media Men' |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/25/cernovich-media-harass-list-244180 |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=Politico |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120518/https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/25/cernovich-media-harass-list-244180 |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite magazine |last=Bugbee |first=Ruth Spencer, Stella |date=2017-10-21 |title=Alt-Right Blogger Posts Names From 'Shitty Men in Media' List |url=https://www.thecut.com/2017/10/mike-cernovich-shitty-men-in-media-list.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=The Cut |language=en-us |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120526/https://www.thecut.com/2017/10/mike-cernovich-shitty-men-in-media-list.html |url-status=live }} New York Magazine denounced Cernovich's actions as a weaponization of the allegations in order to "attack the hated liberal media".{{Cite magazine |last=Kircher |first=Madison Malone |date=2017-10-27 |title=The 'Sh*tty Men in Media' List Has Officially Been Weaponized |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/10/shitty-men-in-media-list-published-on-reddit-and-twitter.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |magazine=New York Magazine |language=en-us |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120527/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/10/shitty-men-in-media-list-published-on-reddit-and-twitter.html |url-status=live }} The list itself later led to a string of investigations, resignations and firings.{{Cite magazine |last=Donegan |first=Moira |date=2018-01-10 |title=I Started the Media Men List |url=https://www.thecut.com/2018/01/moira-donegan-i-started-the-media-men-list.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=The Cut |language=en-us |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120520/https://www.thecut.com/2018/01/moira-donegan-i-started-the-media-men-list.html |url-status=live }}

In November 2017, Cernovich uncovered sworn affidavits in which former staffers accused Democratic congressman John Conyers of sexual harassment. The documents also revealed that the accusers were paid a settlement by Congress's Office of Compliance in exchange for a confidentiality agreement. Cernovich then gave the documents to BuzzFeed, saying he did not publish them on his own because he thought Democrats would attempt to discredit him. BuzzFeed verified that the documents were real, and published their article on November 20, 2017.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |title=She Said That A Powerful Congressman Harassed Her. Here's Why You Didn't Hear Her Story. |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/paulmcleod/she-complained-that-a-powerful-congressman-harassed-her |access-date=2021-08-20 |work=BuzzFeed News |language=en |archive-date=August 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822123415/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/paulmcleod/she-complained-that-a-powerful-congressman-harassed-her |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=2017-11-21 |title=Why BuzzFeed teamed with a far-right figure to break the John Conyers scandal |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/why-buzzfeed-teamed-with-a-far-right-figure-to-break-the-john-conyers-scandal/2017/11/21/64688b2a-ceca-11e7-9d3a-bcbe2af58c3a_story.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=November 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123233808/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/why-buzzfeed-teamed-with-a-far-right-figure-to-break-the-john-conyers-scandal/2017/11/21/64688b2a-ceca-11e7-9d3a-bcbe2af58c3a_story.html |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last=Davis |first=Susan |date=November 21, 2017 |title=Democratic Congressman Acknowledges Settlement, But Denies Sexual Harassment Claim |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/11/21/565681045/rep-john-conyers-acknowledges-settlement-but-denies-sexual-harassment-claim |work=NPR |access-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115124113/https://www.npr.org/2017/11/21/565681045/rep-john-conyers-acknowledges-settlement-but-denies-sexual-harassment-claim |url-status=live }} The House Ethics Committee launched an investigation;{{Cite news |last=Diaz |first=Daniella |date=2017-11-21 |title=House Ethics Committee investigating Conyers allegations |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/21/politics/michigan-rep-john-conyers-democrat-sexual-harassment-settlement/index.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=CNN |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115125010/https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/21/politics/michigan-rep-john-conyers-democrat-sexual-harassment-settlement/index.html |url-status=live }} other allegations followed, and Conyers resigned in December 2017.{{Cite news |last=Kindy |first=Kimberly |date=2017-12-05 |title=Conyers faced mounting sexual misconduct allegations as he weighed his future |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/conyers-faced-mounting-sexual-misconduct-allegations-as-he-weighed-his-future/2017/12/05/5616e5f0-d602-11e7-a986-d0a9770d9a3e_story.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |issn= |archive-date=September 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210913182146/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/conyers-faced-mounting-sexual-misconduct-allegations-as-he-weighed-his-future/2017/12/05/5616e5f0-d602-11e7-a986-d0a9770d9a3e_story.html |url-status=live }}

New York Magazine's Jesse Singal said Cernovich benefited from common conservative sentiments that mainstream journalism is "fake news" and "utterly corrupt", sentiments which blur the line between established news organizations and activists, and lead conservatives to downplay or excuse fake news published by "their side".{{Cite news |last=Singal |first=Jesse |title=Why the White House Is Boosting Mike Cernovich |language=en-us |work=New York Magazine |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/04/why-the-white-house-is-boosting-mike-cernovich.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120522/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/04/why-the-white-house-is-boosting-mike-cernovich.html |url-status=live }} Singal described conservatives as believing "[people like Cernovich] are on the right side, and they're set to overtake those corrupt dinosaurs who have controlled the flow of information for far too long".

In an interview with Vice News, Cernovich claimed he was filling a "vacuum" created by conservative distrust of mainstream media.

{{Blockquote|text=The people who are going to watch [this interview] on VICE, or on HBO, are not my people. So you guys could create this caricature of a madman and a monster, and maybe two or three people who follow me on Twitter would even watch it. So we live now in parallel structures. Right now there's no shared set of facts in the country.|author=Mike Cernovich|title="Post-Truth" News with Mike Cernovich|source=VICE on HBO}}

In the same segment, VICE noted that only 32% of Americans trusted the press, and interviewed Eugene Yi of the MIT Media Lab, who showed that mainstream journalists had practically no reach among conservative Twitter users.{{cite interview |title="Post-Truth" News with Mike Cernovich |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7bkyWV_PU8 |access-date=2022-11-15 |work=Vice News |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115120518/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7bkyWV_PU8 |url-status=live }}

In 2015, Virginia Giuffre sued Ghislaine Maxwell, alleging that Maxwell sexually trafficked her for Jeffrey Epstein while she was a minor. Maxwell settled the suit{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Julie K. |date=November 28, 2018 |title=For years, Jeffrey Epstein abused teen girls, police say. A timeline of his case |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article221404845.html |work=Miami Herald |access-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-date=August 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815165036/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article221404845.html |url-status=live }}

In January 2017, Cernovich filed a motion to unseal evidence and depositions from Giuffre's lawsuit.{{Cite news |last=Shamsian |first=Jacob |date=November 18, 2021 |title=This one lawsuit unleashed a flood of stories unraveling Jeffrey Epstein mysteries and led to Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest on sex-trafficking charges |url=https://www.insider.com/virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-led-to-criminal-case-ghislaine-maxwell-epstein-2021-11 |access-date=2022-11-14 |work=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=May 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522145405/https://www.businessinsider.com/virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-led-to-criminal-case-ghislaine-maxwell-epstein-2021-11 |url-status=live }} He told Politico he was "astonished" by the amount of redactions the judge allowed, with some documents "largely or entirely redacted".Multiple citations:

• {{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/media/mike-cernovich-infowars-alex-jones/index.html |title=Right-wing troll Mike Cernovich goes professional with new hosting gig at InfoWars |first=Oliver |last=Darcy |date=May 3, 2017 |work=CNN Business |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507021733/http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/media/mike-cernovich-infowars-alex-jones/index.html |archive-date=May 7, 2017 }}
• {{Cite web |last=Cernovich |first=Mike |date=2018-04-18 |title=Miami Herald Sues for Court Records Involving Jeffrey Epstein's Alleged Sex Trafficking Ring |url=https://www.cernovich.com/miami-herald-sues-for-court-records-involving-jeffrey-epsteins-alleged-sex-trafficking-ring/ |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=Mike Cernovich |language=en-US |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114195911/https://www.cernovich.com/miami-herald-sues-for-court-records-involving-jeffrey-epsteins-alleged-sex-trafficking-ring/ |url-status=live }} Alan Dershowitz later filed a similar motion,{{cite news |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=May 3, 2017 |title=Right-wing troll Mike Cernovich goes professional with new hosting gig at InfoWars |work=CNN |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/media/mike-cernovich-infowars-alex-jones/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507021733/http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/media/mike-cernovich-infowars-alex-jones/index.html |archive-date=May 7, 2017}} and the Miami Herald filed a third in April 2018.{{Cite web |date=July 2019 |title=Brown v. Maxwell (No. 18-2868-cv) |url=https://ij.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/18-2868_16-3945_complete_opn.pdf |publisher=United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit |access-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-date=June 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601071105/https://ij.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/18-2868_16-3945_complete_opn.pdf |url-status=live }} The motions were denied by the trial court, and Cernovich and the Herald appealed to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.{{Cite news |last=Leonard |first=Mike |date=July 3, 2019 |title=Dershowitz Wins Unsealing of Epstein-Related Defamation Case |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/dershowitz-wins-unsealing-of-epstein-related-defamation-case |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=Bloomberg Law |language=en |archive-date=November 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105060516/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/dershowitz-wins-unsealing-of-epstein-related-defamation-case |url-status=live }} The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (which includes the Associated Press) filed an amicus brief to support the appeal.{{Cite web |title=Giuffre v. Maxwell |url=https://www.rcfp.org/briefs-comments/giuffre-v-maxwell/ |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press |language=en-US |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114195914/https://www.rcfp.org/briefs-comments/giuffre-v-maxwell/ |url-status=live }} In July 2019, the Court of Appeals ordered the documents unsealed.

In February 2020, Cernovich filed a third-party motion in Roger Stone's criminal case, calling for the release of the jury foreperson's questionnaire answers.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-29 |title=Mike Cernovich Files to Intervene in Roger Stone Case |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/right-wing-blogger-mike-cernovich-files-motion-to-access-questionnaire-from-roger-stone-jury-foreperson/ |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=Law & Crime |language=en |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114195910/https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/right-wing-blogger-mike-cernovich-files-motion-to-access-questionnaire-from-roger-stone-jury-foreperson/ |url-status=live }} This motion too was supported by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.{{Cite web |title=RCFP amicus brief: In re: Juror Questionnaires in United States v. Stone |url=https://www.rcfp.org/briefs-comments/united-states-v-stone/ |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press |language=en-US |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120065531/https://www.rcfp.org/briefs-comments/united-states-v-stone/ |url-status=live }} It was later backed by Roger Stone,{{Cite web |title=Roger Stone Backs Public Release Of Jury Questionnaires - Law360 |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1267037/roger-stone-backs-public-release-of-jury-questionnaires |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=Law360 |language=en |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120065531/https://www.law360.com/articles/1267037/roger-stone-backs-public-release-of-jury-questionnaires |url-status=live }} who filed a motion for a new trial, which was denied.{{Cite web |last=Mangan |first=Dan |title=Trump friend Roger Stone denied new trial by judge |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/16/roger-stone-judge-denies-rules-on-new-trial-request-by-trump-friend.html |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=CNBC |date=April 16, 2020 |language=en |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120065530/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/16/roger-stone-judge-denies-rules-on-new-trial-request-by-trump-friend.html |url-status=live }}

Cernovich became influential on social media, initially as part of the manosphere movement.{{cite news |last1=Kutner |first1=Max |title=Roosh V's journey from pickup artist to right-wing provocateur |url=http://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/21/roosh-v-pickup-artist-right-wing-provocateur-509319.html |access-date=October 11, 2017 |work=Newsweek |date=October 13, 2016 |archive-date=November 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114125708/http://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/21/roosh-v-pickup-artist-right-wing-provocateur-509319.html |url-status=live }} Cernovich calls his adversaries "beta males", losers, or "cucks", saying: "to beat a person, you lower his or her social status". Cernovich uses trolling tactics, which he says he uses to build his brand rather than for his own amusement.{{r|Stack}} In December 2017, Cernovich hosted an "Ask Me Anything" on Reddit; this was judged a failure by several media outlets.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite web |last=Swearingen |first=Jake |date=2017-12-22 |title=Mike Cernovich's Reddit Ask Me Anything Went About As Well As You'd Expect |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/12/mike-cernovichs-ama-went-about-as-well-as-youd-expect.html |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Intelligencer |language=en-us |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116122152/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/12/mike-cernovichs-ama-went-about-as-well-as-youd-expect.html |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=William |date=2017-12-22 |title=Mike Cernovich's AMA did not go well |url=https://www.avclub.com/mike-cernovichs-ama-did-not-go-well-1821539564 |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=The A.V. Club |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116122146/https://www.avclub.com/mike-cernovichs-ama-did-not-go-well-1821539564 |url-status=live }}

{{See also|Gamergate (harassment campaign)}}

In 2014, Cernovich became a prominent figure of Gamergate, which targeted feminists as part of a nascent culture war in the aftermath of the MeToo movement.Multiple citations:

• {{cite magazine |last1=Marantz |first1=Andrew |title=Trolls for Trump |magazine=The New Yorker |date=October 31, 2016 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/31/trolls-for-trump |access-date=November 4, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105234714/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/31/trolls-for-trump |archive-date=November 5, 2016 }}
• {{Cite news |last1=Ohlheiser |first1=Abby |last2=Terris |first2=Ben |date=April 7, 2017 |title=How Mike Cernovich's influence moved from the Internet fringes to the White House |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/04/07/how-mike-cernovichs-influence-moved-from-the-internet-fringes-to-the-white-house/ |access-date=January 5, 2021 |issn= |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119023809/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/04/07/how-mike-cernovichs-influence-moved-from-the-internet-fringes-to-the-white-house/ |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite magazine |last=McKew |first=Molly |date=October 3, 2018 |title=Brett Kavanaugh and the Information Terrorists Trying to Reshape America |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/information-terrorists-trying-to-reshape-america/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |archive-date=December 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224123118/https://www.wired.com/story/information-terrorists-trying-to-reshape-america/ |url-status=live }} He encouraged the doxing of opponents, and wrote about women attacking men with false rape allegations. Wired Magazine wrote that Cernovich "gained a kind of leadership over the unruly mob", and that the movement had more to do with identity than with gaming or women.

Cernovich hired private investigators to hound Zoë Quinn, a central target of Gamergate, and worked with Eron Gjoni, Quinn's former boyfriend who had written the disparaging blog post about Quinn which incited the harassment campaign. According to O'Toole et al. writing in Gender Violence, "Cernovich's ongoing strategy, even after Gamergate itself died down, has been to promote conspiracy theories, provide dubious legal advice, and offer a constantly rotating platter of targets."{{Cite book|last1=O'Toole|first1=Laura|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1114271401|title=Gender violence: interdisciplinary perspectives|last2=Schiffman|first2=Jessica R.|last3=Sullivan|first3=Rosemary|publisher=New York University Press|year=2020|isbn=978-1-4798-4392-3|edition=3rd|location=New York|oclc=1114271401|access-date=January 6, 2021|archive-date=May 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522145355/https://search.worldcat.org/title/1114271401|url-status=live}} Writer and activist Soraya Chemaly called Gamergate a "breeding ground and practice ground" for the 2016 campaign.{{Cite web |last=Sherr |first=Ian |title=GamerGate to Trump: How video game culture blew everything up |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/gamergate-donald-trump-american-nazis-how-video-game-culture-blew-everything-up/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116155920/https://www.cnet.com/culture/gamergate-donald-trump-american-nazis-how-video-game-culture-blew-everything-up/ |url-status=live }}

In December 2017, Cernovich published a Medium post and contacted several journalists and news outlets about a joke tweet that comedian and MSNBC contributor Sam Seder had written in 2009. Cernovich claimed that the tweet, which read "Don't care re Polanski, but I hope if my daughter is ever raped it is by an older truly talented man w/a great sense of mise en scene," proved Seder tacitly endorsed Roman Polanski's sexual abuse crime.{{Cite news|last=Wemple|first=Erik|date=December 5, 2017|title=MSNBC is cutting ties with Sam Seder. 'I think they're afraid' of Mike Cernovich & Co., he says.|language=en-US|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/12/05/msnbc-is-cutting-ties-with-sam-seder-i-think-theyre-afraid-of-mike-cernovich-co-he-says/|access-date=December 10, 2017|archive-date=December 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219215249/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/12/05/msnbc-is-cutting-ties-with-sam-seder-i-think-theyre-afraid-of-mike-cernovich-co-he-says/|url-status=live}} MSNBC elected to sever ties with Seder by not renewing his contract (due to expire in February 2018) due to the controversial tweet.{{cite news|last1=Kludt|first1=Tom|last2=Darcy|first2=Oliver|date=December 5, 2017|title=How a joke, and Mike Cernovich, got Sam Seder booted from MSNBC|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/05/media/sam-seder-msnbc-mike-cernovich/index.html?iid=EL|access-date=December 10, 2017|work=CNN Business|archive-date=December 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210020148/http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/05/media/sam-seder-msnbc-mike-cernovich/index.html?iid=EL|url-status=live}} Seder defended the tweet by pointing out that, taken in context of the current events around the time he posted it, it was a satirical response to a petition urging Polanski's release from detention in Switzerland because of his stature as an artist, and that he had been mocking Polanski's apologists.{{Cite news|last=Bromwich|first=Jonah Engel|date=December 7, 2017|title=MSNBC Rehires Contributor Sam Seder: 'Sometimes You Just Get One Wrong'|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/business/media/msnbc-sam-seder.html|access-date=December 10, 2017|archive-date=July 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706001309/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/business/media/msnbc-sam-seder.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Kludt|first=Tom|date=December 7, 2017|title=MSNBC decides to bring back Sam Seder after controversy|language=en-US|work=CNNMoney|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/07/media/sam-seder-msnbc-rehired/index.html|access-date=December 10, 2017|archive-date=June 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622193304/https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/07/media/sam-seder-msnbc-rehired/index.html|url-status=live}} After news of the termination broke, Cernovich released a video on Twitter video celebrating his triumph. By then, Seder noted that advertisers on The Majority Report with Sam Seder podcast were also being contacted and pressured by Cernovich and his followers to cut ties with the show over the tweet. In response, Seder launched a GoFundMe campaign to help maintain funding for the show in the face of potential loss of advertising revenue, and also to produce a three-minute video educating people on Cernovich's tactics. According to Seder, Cernovich's ploy had been retribution for Seder's frequent criticism of then-President Donald Trump as well as Republican Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore. Cernovich retorted to CNN that "the left isn't going to stop going through our tweets so we aren't going to stop going through theirs."

The news of Seder's dismissal prompted an almost immediate backlash. Over 12,000 people signed a petition protesting Seder's termination, arguing that Cernovich had acted in malice and was deliberately mischaracterizing the tweet.{{cite news|last=Lima|first=Christiano|date=December 7, 2017|title=MSNBC reverses course on firing contributor Seder after backlash|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/07/msnbc-rehires-sam-seder-285332|access-date=December 10, 2017|work=Politico|publisher=Capitol News Company|archive-date=December 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211012018/https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/07/msnbc-rehires-sam-seder-285332|url-status=live}} AV Club wrote that "MSNBC has now fully bought into that smear campaign ... whose openly stated goal is the destruction of news outlets just like it through the use of blatantly manipulative trolling techniques."{{Cite news|last=O'Neal|first=Sean|title=MSNBC cuts ties with Sam Seder after giving in to "alt-right" smear campaign|work=The A.V. Club|publisher=Onion Inc.|url=https://www.avclub.com/msnbc-cuts-ties-with-sam-seder-after-giving-in-to-alt-1820993790|access-date=December 5, 2017|archive-date=March 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303000948/https://www.avclub.com/msnbc-cuts-ties-with-sam-seder-after-giving-in-to-alt-1820993790|url-status=live}} Mother Jones rebuked MSNBC for capitulating "to the demands of a lunatic conservative."{{Cite news|title=MSNBC cuts off Sam Seder over a single lame joke from eight years ago|work=Mother Jones|publisher=Foundation For National Progress|url=https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/12/msnbc-cuts-off-sam-seder-over-a-single-lame-from-joke-eight-years-ago/|access-date=December 5, 2017|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308102424/https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/12/msnbc-cuts-off-sam-seder-over-a-single-lame-from-joke-eight-years-ago/|url-status=live}} HuffPost chided that Cernovich was now MSNBC's new "De Facto Ombudsman".{{cite web|last=Feinberg|first=Ashley|date=December 6, 2017|title=This Is MSNBC's De Facto Ombudsman|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cernovich-sam-seder-msnbc-twitter-rape_us_5a26bb8fe4b06d807b4f6557|access-date=December 10, 2017|work=HuffPost|archive-date=February 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213230929/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cernovich-sam-seder-msnbc-twitter-rape_us_5a26bb8fe4b06d807b4f6557|url-status=live}} MSNBC primetime anchor Chris Hayes tweeted, "The entire culture and our politics are now dominated by people who have weaponized bad faith and shamelessness." There was considerable dissent within MSNBC over Seder's termination. Some employees expressed concerns that his firing would encourage other far-right personalities to launch similar campaigns. A senior MSNBC employee characterized the capitulation as "really weak" and "pathetic". MSNBC's management itself was unsettled by the celebratory reaction from the far-right. On December 7, 2017, MSNBC decided to reverse their decision to terminate Seder's employment.{{cite magazine|date=December 7, 2017|title=MSNBC Reverses Course on Contributor Sam Seder|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/msnbc-reverses-course-contributor-sam-seder-1202632936|access-date=December 10, 2017|magazine=Variety|archive-date=April 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410213712/https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/msnbc-reverses-course-contributor-sam-seder-1202632936/|url-status=live}}

Cernovich acknowledged that "some are saying Seder was making a joke or being sarcastic."{{Cite magazine|last=Garber|first=Megan|date=December 5, 2017|title=Ye of 'Bad Faith'|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/12/ye-of-bad-faith/547562/|access-date=January 5, 2021|magazine=The Atlantic|language=en-US|archive-date=December 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206081512/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/12/ye-of-bad-faith/547562/|url-status=live}} However, he maintained that he didn't misrepresent the tweet and that he had simply "reported on what [Seder] said."

Columbia Journalism Review cited the incident as an example of a broader pattern of far-right media personalities using online smear campaigns to get mainstream journalists fired.{{Cite news|last=Vernon|first=Pete|date=December 5, 2017|title=The media today: Trump's 'fake news' attacks have global impact|language=en-US|work=Columbia Journalism Review|publisher=Columbia University|url=https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/trump-fake-news-global-impact-libya-royhingya.php|access-date=December 10, 2017|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308124723/https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/trump-fake-news-global-impact-libya-royhingya.php|url-status=live}}

On July 18, 2018, filmmaker Mark Duplass faced swift backlash on Twitter for recommending his "fellow liberals [cross] the aisle" and follow conservative commentator Ben Shapiro on Twitter; filmmaker James Gunn came to Duplass's defense, and Duplass publicly retracted his endorsement, calling it "a disaster on many levels".{{Cite web |last=Schroeder |first=Audra |date=2018-07-19 |title=Mark Duplass apologizes for tweet praising Ben Shapiro |url=https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/mark-duplass-tweet-ben-shapiro/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116070342/https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/mark-duplass-tweet-ben-shapiro/ |url-status=live }} A day later, Cernovich and conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec unearthed tweets by Gunn in which he joked about pedophilia and rape; Gunn had been a vocal critic of Donald Trump,{{Cite magazine |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |last2=Couch |first2=Aaron |date=2018-07-20 |title=James Gunn Fired as Director of 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/james-gunn-exits-guardians-galaxy-vol-3-1128786/ |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |access-date=2022-11-16 |archive-date=October 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011030601/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/james-gunn-exits-guardians-galaxy-vol-3-1128786/ |url-status=live }} and the tweets were widely shared among conservatives, and trended nationwide on Twitter.Multiple citations:

• {{Cite news |last=Abad-Santos |first=Alex |date=2018-07-20 |title=Disney has fired Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn over old, gross tweets |url=https://www.vox.com/2018/7/20/17596506/disney-fired-james-gunn-guardians |access-date=2022-11-16 |work=Vox |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116070341/https://www.vox.com/2018/7/20/17596506/disney-fired-james-gunn-guardians |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |last1=Izadi |first1=Elahe |last2=Ohlheiser |first2=Abby |date=July 20, 2018 |title='Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' director James Gunn fired by Disney over old, offensive tweets |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/07/20/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-director-james-gunn-fired-by-disney-over-old-offensive-tweets/ |access-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-date=December 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221217072008/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/07/20/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-director-james-gunn-fired-by-disney-over-old-offensive-tweets/ |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Luke |date=2018-07-21 |title=How Pizzagate Pusher Mike Cernovich Keeps Getting People Fired |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-cernovich-james-gunn-fired_n_5b5265cce4b0fd5c73c570ac |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=HuffPost |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115151105/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-cernovich-james-gunn-fired_n_5b5265cce4b0fd5c73c570ac |url-status=live }} The next day, Gunn issued an apology for the tweets.{{Cite web |last=Geier |first=Thom |date=2018-07-20 |title=Director James Gunn Apologizes for 'Offensive' Old Tweets Joking About Rape, Pedophilia |url=https://www.thewrap.com/james-gunn-apologizes-offensive-old-tweets-rape-pedophilia/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=The Wrap |language=en-US |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116155029/https://www.thewrap.com/james-gunn-apologizes-offensive-old-tweets-rape-pedophilia/ |url-status=live }} Disney called the tweets "indefensible", and fired Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.{{Cite news |last=Abad-Santos |first=Alex |date=2018-07-20 |title=Disney has fired Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn over old, gross tweets |url=https://www.vox.com/2018/7/20/17596506/disney-fired-james-gunn-guardians |access-date=2022-11-16 |work=Vox |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116070341/https://www.vox.com/2018/7/20/17596506/disney-fired-james-gunn-guardians |url-status=live }} After Gunn's firing, Cernovich also unearthed similar tweets by comedians Michael Ian Black and Patton Oswalt.{{Cite magazine |last=Kenneally |first=Tim |date=2018-07-21 |title=After James Gunn Ouster, Mike Cernovich Turns Toward Comedians Patton Oswalt, Michael Ian Black |url=https://www.thewrap.com/james-gunn-mike-cernovich-turns-toward-patton-oswalt-michael-ian-black/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |magazine=The Wrap |language=en-US |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116065126/https://www.thewrap.com/james-gunn-mike-cernovich-turns-toward-patton-oswalt-michael-ian-black/ |url-status=live }}

Disney's decision to fire Gunn was criticized by fans of the series, Hollywood stars, and several media outlets.Multiple citations:

• {{cite news|last=Mancuso|first=Vinnie|date=July 23, 2018|title=With James Gunn's Firing, Disney Destroyed the Message of 'Guardians of the Galaxy'|work=Collider|url=https://collider.com/james-gunns-firing-guardians-of-the-galaxy/|url-status=live|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724011504/http://collider.com/james-gunns-firing-guardians-of-the-galaxy/|archive-date=July 24, 2018}}
• {{Cite news|last=French|first=David|date=July 23, 2018|title=The Difference between James Gunn and Roseanne Barr|language=en-US|work=National Review {{!}} The Corner|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/james-gunn-roseanne-barr-difference/|access-date=July 30, 2018|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109040233/https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/james-gunn-roseanne-barr-difference/|url-status=live}}
• {{cite news|last=Stolworthy|first=Jacob|date=July 23, 2018|title=Disney executives have let Twitter trolls do their jobs for them by firing James Gunn – and that sets a terrible precedent|work=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/james-gunn-guardians-of-the-galaxy-3-director-twitter-fired-disney-petition-selma-blair-a8459891.html|url-status=live|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724121724/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/james-gunn-guardians-of-the-galaxy-3-director-twitter-fired-disney-petition-selma-blair-a8459891.html|archive-date=July 24, 2018}}
• {{cite news|last=Harris|first=Mark|date=July 23, 2018|title=Disney Should Know the Difference Between James Gunn and Roseanne|work=Vulture.com|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/07/james-gunn-is-not-roseanne-and-disney-should-know-it.html|url-status=live|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723164649/http://www.vulture.com/2018/07/james-gunn-is-not-roseanne-and-disney-should-know-it.html|archive-date=July 23, 2018}}
• {{cite web|last=Todd|first=Andrew|date=July 23, 2018|title=James Gunn's Firing Sets A Worrying Precedent|work=Birth.Movies.Death. |url=https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2018/07/23/james-gunns-firing-sets-a-worrying-precedent|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724183640/https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2018/07/23/james-gunns-firing-sets-a-worrying-precedent|archive-date=July 24, 2018|access-date=July 24, 2018}} An online petition urging Disney to re-hire Gunn received over 400,000 signatures.{{cite news|last=Cavna|first=Michael|date=July 23, 2018|title=#WeAreGroot: How Hollywood is reacting to James Gunn's Disney firing|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2018/07/23/wearegroot-how-hollywood-is-reacting-to-james-gunns-disney-firing/?noredirect=on|url-status=live|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223030319/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2018/07/23/wearegroot-how-hollywood-is-reacting-to-james-gunns-disney-firing/?noredirect=on|archive-date=December 23, 2018}} Fellow Guardians of the Galaxy cast members released a statement expressing their "[full] support" for Gunn.Multiple citations:
• {{cite magazine |last=Parker |first=Ryan |title='Guardians of the Galaxy' Stars Respond to James Gunn Firing |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/guardians-galaxy-stars-respond-james-gunn-firing-1129215 |url-status=live |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723184844/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/guardians-galaxy-stars-respond-james-gunn-firing-1129215 |archive-date=July 23, 2018 |access-date=July 23, 2018}}
• {{Cite news|last1=Lopez|first1=Alex|last2=Stedman|first2=Ricardo|date=July 30, 2018|title='Guardians of the Galaxy' Cast Says It 'Fully Supports' James Gunn|work=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/guardians-of-the-galaxy-cast-james-gunn-support-1202889736/|url-status=live|access-date=July 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730234506/https://variety.com/2018/film/news/guardians-of-the-galaxy-cast-james-gunn-support-1202889736/|archive-date=July 30, 2018}}

In March 2019, Gunn was reinstated by Disney as director of the third film.{{cite magazine|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=March 15, 2019|title=Disney Reinstates Director James Gunn For 'Guardians Of The Galaxy 3'|url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/james-gunn-reinstated-guardians-of-the-galaxy-3-disney-suicide-squad-2-indefensible-social-media-messages-1202576444/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190315235747/https://deadline.com/2019/03/james-gunn-reinstated-guardians-of-the-galaxy-3-disney-suicide-squad-2-indefensible-social-media-messages-1202576444/|archive-date=March 15, 2019|access-date=March 15, 2019|magazine=Deadline Hollywood}} Prior to his rehiring, he had also signed on with Warner Bros. to write and later direct what would eventually become the DC Extended Universe film The Suicide Squad.{{Cite magazine |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike Jr. |date=2018-10-09 |title=James Gunn Boards 'Suicide Squad 2' To Write And Possibly Direct |url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/james-gunn-boards-suicide-squad-2-to-write-and-possibly-direct-1202479455/ |access-date=2022-11-13 |magazine=Deadline Hollywood |language=en-US |archive-date=October 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009185105/https://deadline.com/2018/10/james-gunn-boards-suicide-squad-2-to-write-and-possibly-direct-1202479455/ |url-status=live }} In 2022, Gunn was chosen to lead DC Studios, the retooled film division of DC Comics.{{Cite magazine |date=2022-10-25 |title=DC Shocker: James Gunn, Peter Safran to Lead Film, TV and Animation Division (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dc-movies-james-gunn-peter-safran-to-lead-film-tv-division-1235248438/ |access-date=2022-11-13 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-date=October 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025235450/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dc-movies-james-gunn-peter-safran-to-lead-film-tv-division-1235248438/ |url-status=live }}

Cernovich was arrested and charged with rape in 2003. The rape charges were dismissed, but he was ordered to perform community service for misdemeanor battery. His record was later expunged.

Cernovich married his first wife when he was a law student in 2003. He later said the marriage was "ruined by feminist indoctrination". An attorney for a Silicon Valley firm, his first wife earned millions of dollars from an initial public offering (IPO). She filed for divorce in 2011, and Cernovich received what he has described as a "seven-figure sum" in the settlement. He later married his second wife, Shauna. The couple have four children together.

• {{Cite book |last=Cernovich |first=Mike |title=Gorilla Mindset: How to Control Your Thoughts and Emotions, Improve Your Health and Fitness, Make More Money and Live Life on Your Terms |publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |year=2015 |isbn=9781514672112 |oclc=927343429}}
• {{Cite book|last=Cernovich|first=Mike|title=Danger & Play: Essays on Embracing Masculinity|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|year=2016|isbn=9781519652928|oclc=974812153}}
• {{Cite book|last=Cernovich|first=Mike|title=MAGA Mindset: Making YOU and America Great Again|publisher=Castalia House|year=2016|isbn=978-952-7065-92-1|editor-last=Vox Day|editor-link=Vox Day|location=Kouvola, Finland|oclc=964446485}}
• {{Cite book|last1=Downey|first1=Scooter|title=Hoaxed: Everything They Told You Is a Lie|last2=Du Toit|first2=Jon|last3=Cernovich|first3=Mike|publisher=Jonathan Hom|year=2018|isbn=9780998490113|oclc=1080581048}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Cite book |last=Wendling |first=Mike |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cQB0EAAAQBAJ |title=Alt-Right: From 4Chan to the White House |date=2018-04-03 |publisher=Fernwood Publishing |isbn=978-1-77363-067-0 |language=en}}
• {{Cite book |last=Marantz |first=Andrew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=smSIDwAAQBAJ |title=Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation |date=2019-10-08 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-525-52227-0 |language=en}}
• {{Cite book |last=Nagle |first=Angela |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y-MlDwAAQBAJ |title=Kill All Normies: Online Culture Wars From 4Chan And Tumblr To Trump And The Alt-Right |date=2017-06-07 |publisher=John Hunt Publishing |isbn=978-1-78535-544-8 |language=en}}
• {{Cite book |last=Hawley |first=George |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7312/hawl18512-004/html |title=Making Sense of the Alt-Right |date=2017 |publisher=Columbia University Press |language=en |doi=10.7312/hawl18512-004|isbn=9780231546003 }}

{{wikiquote}}

• {{official website|cernovich.com}}
• {{IMDb name|833734}}

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