Quick Facts: The Onion
| Owner | Jeff Lawson (via Global Tetrahedron LLC) |
| Acquisition | 2023 (from G/O Media) |
| Ownership Type | Private |
| Founded | 1988 (University of Wisconsin-Madison) |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Type | Satirical news publication |
| Notable Development | Acquired Infowars in April 2026 |
| Publicly Traded | No |
Who Owns The Onion?
The Onion is owned by Jeff Lawson, the entrepreneur and co-founder of the cloud communications company Twilio, who acquired the satirical publication through his holding company Global Tetrahedron LLC in 2023. Lawson purchased The Onion from G/O Media (formerly Univision Communications/Fusion Media Group). The acquisition was notable for being led by a tech entrepreneur with a vision for expanding The Onion’s satirical mission in the digital age. The Onion made headlines globally in April 2026 when it acquired Infowars — the conspiracy theory media platform founded by Alex Jones — out of bankruptcy proceedings, in an extraordinary and widely satirized twist of fate that cemented The Onion’s position as one of the most irreverent media brands in American history.
About Jeff Lawson
Jeff Lawson is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur best known as co-founder and former CEO of Twilio (NYSE: TWLO), the cloud communications platform company he co-founded in 2008 and led through its 2016 IPO. Lawson stepped down as CEO of Twilio in 2023. His acquisition of The Onion — through an entity he named Global Tetrahedron LLC — represented an unusual transition from tech CEO to media owner, driven by what Lawson described as a passion for protecting and expanding The Onion’s satirical voice in an era of media consolidation and disinformation. The Onion was founded in 1988 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a humor newspaper and evolved into one of the most widely read English-language satire outlets in the world.
Key Ownership Highlights
- The Onion is owned by Jeff Lawson (co-founder of Twilio) through Global Tetrahedron LLC, acquired in 2023 from G/O Media.
- The Onion was founded in 1988 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
- In a landmark satirical media story, The Onion acquired Infowars (Alex Jones’s conspiracy media platform) out of bankruptcy in April 2026.
- The Onion is entirely privately held and is not listed on any stock exchange.
- The Onion’s ownership history includes a long chain of media companies: from its student founders through Onion Inc., to various media groups, to G/O Media, before landing with Lawson.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns The Onion?
The Onion is owned by Jeff Lawson, co-founder of Twilio, through his holding company Global Tetrahedron LLC. Lawson acquired The Onion in 2023 from G/O Media.
Did The Onion buy Infowars?
Yes. In April 2026, The Onion acquired Infowars — the conspiracy media platform founded by Alex Jones — out of bankruptcy proceedings. The acquisition was widely covered for the extraordinary irony of America’s premier satirical outlet acquiring one of its most notorious conspiracy platforms.
Is The Onion publicly traded?
No. The Onion is a privately held satirical publication owned by Jeff Lawson through Global Tetrahedron LLC. It is not listed on any stock exchange.
When was The Onion founded?
The Onion was founded in 1988 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a humor newspaper. It grew from a campus publication into one of the most widely read satirical news platforms in the English-speaking world.
