Texts, chatbots, influencers: Israel's multimillion-dollar push to win over US

Israel has launched a sweeping, multi-million-dollar campaign to restructure public opinion in the US, relying on artificial intelligence, mass text messaging, conservative media networks, social media influencers and digital content designed to influence how Americans -- and even AI chatbots -- perceive the country, according to The Wall Street Journal.

As per The Wall Street Journal, the Israeli government has committed more than $50 million to US-based firms for influence operations, while allocating over $700 million to its 2026 budget to strengthen its global image amid growing international criticism over its military actions in Gaza and conflicts across the Middle East.

This comes at a time when support for Israel has weakened significantly in the US. According to polling cited by the newspaper, public opinion has shifted sharply, with a growing number of Americans expressing unfavourable views of both Israel and its government.

HOW AI-POWERED TEXTS TARGETED AMERICANS

One of the campaign's most visible elements involves AI-generated text messages sent to millions of Americans.

Recipients reportedly received messages from people identifying themselves as "Emma," "Sarah" or "John," claiming to represent a group called Friends for Peace.

The texts posed seemingly neutral questions such as: "How do you think the US and Israel's peace talks with Iran will impact global security?"

However, the newspaper reported that the conversations were generated using artificial intelligence, distributed through a company connected to former Donald Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale and funded by the Israeli government.

When recipients questioned the identity of Friends for Peace, the AI reportedly responded: "We're a group focused on sharing perspectives and educating people about the importance of the US-Israel relationship, and we're supported by people who care about this partnership and want to see it thrive."

The conversations then gradually shifted towards arguments supporting Israel.

One message reportedly stated: "We believe Israel's strength is crucial for America's future and freedom."

TRUMP ALLY IN FOCUS

According to The WSJ, the Israeli government awarded Parscale a contract worth more than $45 million to oversee key parts of the campaign.

Parscale, who managed Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and later worked on his 2020 re-election effort, rejected suggestions that the project was designed to influence US diplomacy.

"The existential threat to Israel is misinformation, from any side," he told the newspaper.

When asked whether Friends for Peace was an actual organisation, Parscale reportedly responded: "What do you define as an actual organisation?"

The campaign is being run through Sparkfire, which had reportedly received $6.5 million by mid-May for its work.

Sparkfire maintained that "human team members are involved throughout the conversation process and interact directly with recipients."

However, some people who exchanged messages with the system described the conversations as repetitive and machine-like.

CONSERVATIVE MEDIA NETWORKS DRAW ATTENTION

The report also highlighted Parscale's position as chief strategy officer at Salem Media, a major conservative media company whose personalities include Hugh Hewitt, Scott Jennings and Lara Trump. Parscale's original contract specifically referred to the "integration of narrative messaging into Salem Media Network properties and aligned distribution channels."

The arrangement prompted criticism from former Trump strategist Steve Bannon.

"How is the second-biggest conservative talk network run by a registered foreign agent?" Bannon asked.

Salem Media denied that hosts were paid to promote specific Israeli narratives.

"Our hosts have built their careers by saying exactly what they think, not by reading from someone else's script," Salem Media Chief Executive David Santrella said.

The company said more than $500,000 from the Israeli contract was spent on advertising across its network.

TARGETING CHRISTIANS, INFLUENCERS AND YOUNG VOTERS

According to The WSJ, Israel's influence effort extends well beyond conservative talk radio.

The newspaper reported that a group called Show Faith by Works proposed targeting around four million megachurch members and Christian university students in the American Southwest through a $3 million campaign.

The proposal aimed to create "positive associations with the Nation of Israel while linking the Palestinian population with extremist factions."

The group also considered approaching celebrities, including actor Chris Pratt and NBA star Stephen Curry, although Pratt's representatives said he was never contacted.

The report further said Israel has also worked with influencers whose audiences lean towards progressive and Democratic voters, where support for Israel has declined sharply during the Gaza war.

EFFORT TO SHAPE AI CHATBOTS

One of the campaign's most unusual aspects, according to the report, involves attempts to influence the responses generated by artificial intelligence platforms.

Parscale's team reportedly created websites, articles and online content intended to be indexed by AI systems such as ChatGPT, Claude and Google's Gemini. The goal, the report said, was to ensure those platforms would retrieve and cite pro-Israel information when users asked questions about the country.

The newspaper reported that AI systems had, at times, cited material published on Allyvia.org, a website developed by Parscale's team.

The operation also seeks to identify Americans' biggest concerns about Israel, formulate responses and relay those findings back to the Israeli government.

According to the report, Israel has retained at least six companies over the past year for influence operations in the US, while roughly three dozen people -- many from the marketing industry -- have registered as foreign agents working on Israel's behalf.

The campaign has also drawn criticism from within the Trump administration.

US Vice President JD Vance accused some Israeli officials of trying to shape American public opinion to derail negotiations with Iran.

He said some Israeli officials were "manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitely."

According to the report, Israel's expansive influence campaign reflects growing concern within its government over declining public support in the US, its closest ally. However, as scrutiny over foreign influence operations intensifies and criticism of Israel's military actions continues to grow, it remains uncertain whether technology and large-scale messaging can reverse shifting public opinion among Americans.

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