Former Trump Adviser Led Israeli Influence Campaign Against Iran Deal Targeting Conservative Youth

Following the June 17 ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, prominent influencers within Donald Trump's base sharply criticized the deal instead of celebrating it. An American official monitoring online reactions noticed suspiciously coordinated messaging and traced it to Brad Parscale, Trump's former campaign manager and digital adviser. Documents filed under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act reveal that in September, the international advertising agency Havas hired Parscale's company, Clock Tower X, to run a digital campaign for Israel. The contract required producing 100 original pieces monthly, mostly targeting Gen Z audiences on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and podcasts, with distribution also on the conservative Salem media network, aiming for 50 million monthly impressions. Israel agreed to pay $1.5 million per month for this campaign.

Officially framed as a fight against antisemitism, Israeli Foreign Ministry sources confirmed the strategic goal was to prevent young conservatives from turning against Israel amid rising criticism from figures like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in May 2025 about collapsing support among conservative circles, a warning Netanyahu acknowledged in a later phone call. Parscale claimed he had unique access to the MAGA audience but denied acting against Trump's interests or the ceasefire deal. He said anonymous sources were trying to scapegoat him and that contract funds did not directly pay influencers to avoid disclosure.

Sources familiar with the campaign described a sophisticated messaging network using Parscale-controlled companies such as Campaign Nucleus and Influenceable. Conservative influencers received suggested post texts in private chats and were compensated based on reach, with payments ranging from $2,250 plus per-thousand-view bonuses up to $4,250 per post. Israeli officials expressed frustration, saying the campaign worsened Israel's image despite heavy spending. A Pew survey shows US public support for Israel and Netanyahu at historic lows, with only 32% viewing Israel positively and 57% of young Republicans holding negative opinions. Antisemitic incidents worldwide have surged 34% since the Iran war began.

The White House is angered that what started as an information campaign turned into an influence operation conflicting with the president's diplomatic goals. A senior US intelligence official said the paid foreign-backed influencers aimed to sway the president and his circle, a matter not to be taken lightly. Parscale's efforts also targeted AI chatbots by creating websites supplying data to AI crawlers to shape Israel-related content. Similar covert campaigns have been exposed before, including one involving conservative influencer Nick Sortor. While foreign influence attempts are common from Russia, Iran, and China, this case is unusual because it targeted the US president's own political base. Neither Netanyahu's office nor the White House has commented on the report.