Israel dumps millions into US influence targeting evangelicals in churches and ChatGPT
Israel's government has allocated millions in contracts to U.S. firms for public diplomacy efforts, targeting evangelical Christians and AI platforms like ChatGPT amid eroding support.
Foreign Agents Registration Act filings document payments routed through Havas Media Germany GmbH, which has handled at least $100 million since 2018 for Israeli tourism promotion in the U.S.
The largest agreement, a $6 million four-month deal in August with Clock Tower X—owned by Brad Parscale, Trump's former digital campaign manager—funds antisemitism campaigns producing 100 core content pieces monthly, such as videos, podcasts, graphics, and text, plus 5,000 derivatives for 50 million impressions.
Eighty percent of the content targets young Americans on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, distributed through Salem Media Network's over 200 conservative Christian radio stations and websites, where Parscale serves as strategy lead.
A proposed $3 million campaign by Show Faith by Works, run by Republican evangelical consultant Chad Schnitger, seeks to reverse evangelical support declines using biblical arguments emphasizing Israel's importance to Christians and portraying Palestinians as choosing Hamas, murdering Christian aid workers, celebrating the October 7 massacre, and sharing genocidal intentions with Iran.
This includes the largest U.S. geofencing operation, mapping perimeters of major churches and Christian colleges in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado during worship hours to identify 8 million churchgoers and 4 million students via commercial data for continued ad targeting.
Clock Tower X's contract features a "Search and Language Operation" to influence Google search results and generative AI responses from ChatGPT and Claude, representing the first documented state attempt to shape chatbot framing on Israel-Palestine issues.
SKDKnickerbocker's 2.5 million shekel contract deploys bots on TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube to amplify Foreign Ministry messages, supported by up to five spokespersons for international media and social media promotion.
Bridges Partners' $1 million "Esther Project" recruits 14-18 influencers for 25-30 monthly posts on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X promoting U.S.-Israel cultural exchange; payments include $15,000 to Nadav Shtrauchler, a former Netanyahu consultant, and $10,000 to digital marketer Pnina Rezidor.
A July Foreign Ministry tender exemption funded trips for American right-wing influencers to Israel, including settlement visits; in September, Netanyahu met influencers in New York, urging them to treat social media as a "battlefield."
Targeted Communications Global's $1.2 million Tourism Ministry contract engages influencers for travel promotion content.
Voices for Israel, sponsored by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry, designates AI as a "core tool" for perception operations; wartime "Project Max" established a "Technological War Room" with monitoring systems, AI, big data, distribution, and disruption capabilities.
Pew surveys show U.S. negative views of Israel rose from 42% in 2022 to 53% in 2025, with half of Republicans under 50 now holding negative opinions, up 15% since the Gaza war; young evangelicals no longer provide automatic support.
A 2024 Tel Aviv University report confirms the shift among young evangelicals. Far-right media and "disinformation networks" propagated conspiracy theories after Charlie Kirk's killing, alleging Israeli involvement due to his Gaza war criticisms and push-back on the Israel lobby leaving him out to dry with little support, when asked, from facing Israel-critical questions at his campus speaking tours.
The government spent over $45 million in late 2025 on ads via Google, YouTube, X, and Outbrain.