Pizzagate: The Conspiracy That Won’t Die – From Pizzeria to Epstein Files

The resurgence of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory in early 2026, fueled by the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s court documents, demonstrates the enduring power of online misinformation and the ease with which baseless claims can gain traction. What began in 2016 with hacked emails and a Washington, D.C. Pizzeria has evolved, resurfacing with each new data leak and scandal, recruiting new believers and causing continued harm.

In 2016, a handful of casual references to “pizza” in emails stolen from John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, were misinterpreted and became the foundation for the Pizzagate conspiracy. The theory falsely alleged that Democratic elites were running a child trafficking ring out of Comet Ping Pong, a pizzeria in Washington, D.C. This baseless claim proved remarkably resilient, weaving symbols and emotions into a narrative that refused to be debunked.

The situation escalated dangerously in December 2016 when Edgar Welch, a man from North Carolina, drove to Comet Ping Pong armed with a rifle, believing the online rumors about imprisoned children. He fired shots inside the restaurant, terrifying staff and customers. Investigations revealed no evidence to support the claims – no basement, no secret tunnels, and no hostages – leaving the community shaken and the myth intact. For some within the conspiracy community, the lack of evidence only reinforced their belief in a cover-up.

The appeal of Pizzagate, according to analysis, lay in its ability to transform ordinary things – pizza, emails, emojis – into supposed sinister symbols. Social media platforms like Reddit, YouTube, 4chan, and Facebook facilitated the spread of the theory, fostering a vast network of belief. Attempts to debunk the claims were often reinterpreted as evidence of a broader conspiracy.

The real-world consequences were significant. The owner and employees of Comet Ping Pong endured months of threats and intimidation, and continue to receive threats years later, according to reports. The theory’s influence extended to other movements, including QAnon and Frazzledrip, and contributed to a culture of online “detective work” prioritizing intuition over evidence.

Now, in February 2026, the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s court documents has reignited the Pizzagate claims. Investigators and online users have focused on the frequency with which the word “pizza” appears in the documents – more than 900 times, according to reports – interpreting references to “pizza” as coded language. Coupled with accounts of Epstein’s strict dietary habits, this has fueled speculation about a hidden meaning behind the seemingly innocuous word.

Online, the response has been swift and fervent. Users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok are proclaiming “Pizzagate is 100% real,” linking the new documents to the original claims and insisting that coded language and secret meetings are hidden in plain sight. Elon Musk’s posts on X have further amplified these theories, giving them a wider audience.

However, law enforcement and investigative journalists have repeatedly debunked Pizzagate. There is no evidence of a trafficking ring, no credible connection between pizza references and criminal activity, and no basis for the theory’s central claims. The references to pizza in the emails remain just that: references to pizza. Despite this, the underlying structure of suspicion that Pizzagate helped build remains strong, where symbols are valued over facts and doubt is more persuasive than dialogue.

The persistence of Pizzagate raises concerns about the nature of digital misinformation. The business models of social media platforms, which reward outrage and emotional engagement, can inadvertently contribute to the spread of sensational stories, regardless of their truthfulness. Even debunking videos can increase engagement and contribute to the theory’s reach.

Efforts to combat misinformation are underway, including digital literacy programs and initiatives by journalists and educators to explain how these theories gain traction and to foster critical thinking. The goal is to build resilience, helping people recognize patterns, question emotional triggers, and pause before sharing information.

The cost of these conspiracies is real, with innocent people continuing to suffer harassment and resources being diverted from legitimate investigations. However, the legacy of Pizzagate need not be its tenacity, but rather the response to it. By understanding how such a flimsy hypothesis gained traction and by fostering a culture of critical thinking and empathy, it may be possible to diminish the influence of such myths.