Israel Spends $900K on Influencer Campaign as MAGA Influencers Cash In | Headline USA

(José Niño, Headline USA) Israel made plans over the past year to spend $900,000 on an influencer campaign targeting American audiences, according to disclosure documents, as the country fights negative sentiment on the right. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with conservative social media stars on at least two U.S. visits, per a report by the Wall Street Journal. 

“We have to fight back. How do we fight back? Our influencers,” Netanyahu said at a September meeting at the Israeli Consulate in New York, according to a video posted by influencer Debra Lea. “That community, they’re very important.”

A firm called Bridges Partners registered as a foreign agent for Israel and disclosed plans for the influencer program dubbed “Esther Project,” which would cost up to $250,000 a month at full capacity.

The Israeli campaign reflects a sweeping transformation in Washington lobbying that has created a new class of operatives blurring the lines between consulting, advocacy and journalism, according to a Wall Street Journal report. “It becomes very easy for a foreign or a corporate interest group to significantly shape Americans’ views of political issues in secret if they can launder their message through an army of influencers,” said Brendan Fischer of the Campaign Legal Center.

Qatar has also pursued influencers, sponsoring November trips to Doha with VIP Formula One tickets worth over $10,000. “TBH I had ZERO clue that [Doha] was such a cultural hub,” wrote conservative commentator Rob Smith on Instagram.

These campaigns frequently shape White House policy. If Trump assistant Natalie Harp notices a policy position gaining steam among social media stars, she’s known to print out posts and give them to the president per the WSJ.

Last summer, Trump’s former aide Alex Bruesewitz urged the president to reclassify marijuana. “Nearly 70% of Republican voters support Trump on this. No brainer!,” he told over 640,000 followers on X. What Bruesewitz left out was that marijuana industry interests had just paid him $300,000.

Lea, 25, has advised House Speaker Mike Johnson and been paid to promote various industries. “I girl bossed my way to the top, literally from TikTok to the White House,” she said. “Creators have the attention right now,” said Caitlin Sinclair, who received $67,500 from the MAHA PAC. “In 2026, I believe attention is going to be the currency of power.”

A White House spokesperson said the administration “is adapting to the new media landscape in 2025.”

José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino