Just days after a leading Democratic PR firm abruptly severed ties with Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs amid backlash over its plans to develop a "bot army" to amplify pro-Israel messaging on social media, the Israeli government has quietly ramped up its U.S. influence operations through a trio of newly registered American agents. The new contracts, totaling at least $10 million and disclosed in late September Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filings, reveal an aggressive push to reshape American public opinion on Israel's Gaza war, targeting young TikTok users, Christian churchgoers, and even the outputs of AI systems like ChatGPT.
The filings, submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice between September 18 and 27, come on the heels of Sludge’s Sept. 15 investigation exposing SKDK, a firm co-founded by Biden White House communications chief Anita Dunn and backed by Stagwell Global Communications, for planning to "flood the zone" with automated pro-Israel content across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. SKDK, which had inked a $600,000 deal with Israel's Foreign Ministry in April, denied actually carrying out the bot work and terminated the contract. The move left a gap in Israel's U.S. media strategy at a time when global outrage over Gaza has battered its image, with polls showing U.S. sympathy for Palestinians surging among Democrats and younger voters.
Since then, three U.S.-based firms, all newly formed this summer, have begun handling what appears to be an expansive effort to counter criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The contracts emphasize search engine optimization, social media influencer recruitment, and highly-targeted digital advertising, and they are all being carried out through Havas, the German PR firm that was handling the SKDK contract.
A Trump Ally’s $6M Gen Z Blitz and AI 'Framing'
The most high-profile hire is Clock Tower X LLC, a digital strategy firm led by Brad Parscale, Donald Trump's former campaign manager and digital guru. Parscale, who helmed Trump's 2016 and 2020 online operations, registered under FARA on September 18 for a contract valued at $6 million from Havas on behalf of the State of Israel, plus matching funds from his firm, through December 31, 2025. The deal tasks Clock Tower X with combating "antisemitism" via a multi-faceted digital campaign.
Under the agreement, Clock Tower X will produce at least 100 "root creative assets" per month (videos, graphics, audio, and written forms) and 5,000 monthly variants of the creative, with 80% tailored for Gen Z platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The firm commits to delivering 50 million paid impressions monthly at an average cost-per-one-thousand-impressions under $2, with funding split between Havas contributions ($1.5 million per month for four months) and Parscale's matching dollars. It also agreed to integrate pro-Israel messaging into properties run by Salem Media Group, the company behind the sprawling Salem Radio Network and influential conservative websites like PJ Media and RedState where Parscale serves as Chief Strategy Officer.
