Israel Hires Former Trump Campaign Manager for Major US Social Media Influence Effort

Israel's Foreign Ministry has engaged Brad Parscale, Donald Trump's 2020 campaign manager, to lead a large-scale digital influence campaign in the United States, according to a report in Time magazine. The contract, signed in September last year, pays Parscale's company $1.5 million monthly to produce at least 100 original social media posts each month targeting young conservative audiences on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Officially, the campaign aims to combat rising antisemitism online, but insiders reveal its true goal is to counteract growing conservative youth opposition to Israel.

The digital campaign has sparked significant controversy within the White House after coordinated conservative influencer attacks emerged against the recent US-Iran ceasefire agreement. Trump's aides expected support from his base but were surprised by simultaneous sharp criticism from prominent right-wing figures, indicating a well-organized effort. A senior US intelligence official expressed concern over foreign-paid American influencers attempting to sway presidential and public opinion, calling it a dangerous internal interference.

Parscale denies allegations that he acted against Trump's interests, stating he never funded or organized efforts to undermine the former president or his peace proposals. He insists the campaign's purpose was to prevent Israel's traditional American supporters, especially on the right, from drifting away. Parscale highlighted data showing stable or increased support for Israel among Trump backers in recent months.

The campaign operates through a network of Parscale-owned companies managing closed conservative influencer groups, providing precise messaging guidelines and paying participants based on content reach and engagement. Influencer Eyal Yakobi confirmed receiving payments to fight online antisemitism but denied being paid to express views he did not personally hold.

Despite the substantial budget, Israeli officials express deep frustration with Parscale's results, as public support for Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu in the US has fallen to decades-low levels. A senior Israeli source criticized Parscale for failing to improve the situation despite significant funding. The campaign was initiated last year after warnings from prominent US right-wing activists that Israel was rapidly losing influence among conservative audiences due to outdated public diplomacy. The Foreign Ministry chose Parscale for his deep understanding of Trump's digital culture, despite the two not having communicated for years.