Full Breakdown
Israel’s Multi-Million-Dollar U.S. Influence Operation
7/21/2026, 2:03:50 AM
Core Event
In 2025–2026 the Israeli government launched a coordinated public-diplomacy effort to improve its image among American voters. The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel signed a contract worth over $45 million with former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale and his firm Clock Tower X to run AI-driven text-messaging, digital ads, and influencer outreach. The operation also enlisted Salem Media, where Parscale serves as chief strategy officer, and the Christian-focused group Show Faith by Works. By mid-2025, at least six U.S. firms and roughly three dozen American marketing professionals had registered as foreign agents for Israel.
Background & Context
Israel’s 2026 public-diplomacy budget was set at more than $700 million, four times the 2025 allocation and roughly twenty times previous years’ spending. The surge follows a Pew Research Center poll showing 60 % of U.S. adults holding a negative view of Israel amid the Gaza war and heightened U.S.–Iran tensions. Earlier, a 2025 cease-fire brokered by President Donald Trump led to the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas, but American public opinion continued to deteriorate.
Key Figures & Groups
- Brad Parscale – former digital director of the 2016 and 2020 Trump campaigns; chief strategy officer at Salem Media.
- Salem Media – conservative Christian broadcaster; CEO David Santrella.
- Sparkfire – AI-text vendor paid $6.5 million to generate “Friends for Peace” messages.
- Show Faith by Works – Christian outreach firm planning a $3 million geofencing campaign targeting megachurches and college students.
- Gideon Sa’ar – Israel’s foreign minister, who announced the $700 million budget.
Data & Statistics
- $45 million contract with Parscale; $1.5 million per month reported by Time.
- $6.5 million to Sparkfire for AI messaging.
- $500,000+ in Salem Media online ads.
- $3 million Show Faith by Works campaign, later redirected to a mobile museum.
- $4,500 paid to evangelical influencers Stefanie and Caleb Rouse in 2025.
- 50 million digital impressions per month targeted at Gen Z audiences.
Official Statements & Responses
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the budget aims to “shape consciousness” and counter misinformation. Israel’s foreign ministry denied conducting “influence operations” that violate U.S. law, asserting all activities are fully registered and transparent. Parscale described the effort as combating “rising antisemitism online” and characterised misinformation as an “existential threat to Israel.” Salem Media maintains that hosts are not scripted and that funds were used for advertising, not paid endorsements.
Criticism & Opposition
Steve Bannon questioned the propriety of a major conservative network being linked to a foreign agent. U.S. Vice President JD Vance accused the campaign of trying “to undermine U.S. negotiations to end the conflict in Iran” and of prolonging the war. Left-leaning analysts labeled the operation “quixotic” and warned that the scale of AI-driven outreach raises broader concerns about foreign influence in American politics.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact monthly payment to Parscale—$1.5 million per month versus a lump-sum $45 million contract. Parscale and Salem claim hosts receive no scripted messages, while critics allege covert persuasion. The legal status of “Friends for Peace” remains unclear; the group appears to lack a formal corporate entity.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our hosts have built their careers by saying exactly what they think, not by reading from someone else’s script,” — David Santrella, CEO, Salem Media
- “The existential threat to Israel is misinformation, from any side,” — Brad Parscale
- “We paid a lot of money, but the situation only kept getting worse.” — Senior Israeli official
- “to undermine U.S. negotiations to end the conflict in Iran.” — JD Vance, Vice President of the United States
What’s Next
Israel’s foreign ministry indicated that the 2026 plan will continue through 2027, with no publicly announced adjustments. No further congressional hearings or U.S. regulatory actions have been detailed as of the latest reports.
