Brad Parscale, a top aide on President Trump's first two campaigns, registered as a foreign agent to work on Israel's behalf and create digital media combating antisemitism.
Why it matters: While Israel has been hemorrhaging support among Democrats for years, it's starting to see similar trends among Republicans — especially younger voters.
- A new poll from the New York Times/Siena College found that a majority of Americans now oppose sending additional economic and military aid to Israel — a dramatic reversal since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack.
- Reversing that trend is vital for Israel, which relies on bipartisan diplomatic support from the U.S. in addition to billions of dollars in aid each year.
Driving the news: Parscale began working with the Israeli government on Sept. 18, according to paperwork he filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Parscale registered a company called Clock Tower X LLC and is working with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- His contract states that Parscale will "provide strategic communications, planning, and media services" to "develop and execute a nationwide campaign in the United States to combat antisemitism."
- At least 80% of the content will be "tailored to Gen Z audiences across platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, podcasts, and other relevant digital and broadcast outlets."
The paid media campaigns are aiming to achieve at least 50 million digital impressions per month.
- Clock Tower will also stand up "websites and content to deliver GPT framing results on GPT conversations" — seemingly to create new data for AI models to train on.
- Clock Tower will integrate its "narrative messaging" with Salem Media Network, a conservative radio network, though it wasn't immediately clear exactly what that communication would look like.
The contract, worth $6 million, was first reported by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft think tank in Washington, which pushes for a less interventionist foreign policy.
Zoom in: Parscale has extensive experience in Republican politics and in digital media.
- He was the senior adviser for data and digital operations for Trump's 2016 campaign and the campaign manager for over two years on Trump's 2020 campaign, until he was replaced by Bill Stepien.
Zoom out: Parscale's contract comes amid rising antisemitism in the U.S. and a broader conversation about what counts as legitimate criticism of Israel and what crosses the line into bigotry.
- The Israeli government has particularly alarmed by the decline in support among younger MAGA voters, given that Republicans have long been viewed as stalwart allies.
- Israel has sought to blunt the political fallout from the war in Gaza, bringing over popular MAGA influencers earlier this year to create content painting the country in a favorable light.
The intrigue: Before his assassination this month, activist Charlie Kirk sent a letter to the Israeli government warning that anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment was reaching "record levels" on social media and seeping into the "conservative MAGA community."
- "Everything written here is from a place of deep love for Israel and the Jewish people. I think it's important to be brutally honest with those you love," Kirk wrote.
- "In my opinion, Israel is losing the information war and needs a 'communications intervention.'"
