Investigation
The Influence Machine
How the Israeli government and its lobby apparatus exert control over US politics, media, and public opinion through five coordinated prongs. Every claim below is sourced from public filings, government records, and established reporting.
Sources: FEC filings, DOJ FARA database, CPJ, Brown University, Congress.gov, Times of Israel
The 5 Prongs
Political Spending
$100M+ in US elections via 16+ PACs, shell PACs, bundled donations
- AIPAC's super PAC (UDP) entered 2026 with $96M in its war chest
- 16+ tracked PACs funnel money into Congressional races
- Shell PACs created weeks before elections to obscure donor identity
- Spent $22M+ on March 2026 Illinois primaries alone
- Targets any Democrat who questions unconditional military aid
Sources: FEC filings, OpenSecrets, The Intercept
Media Control
Larry Ellison's $111B merger to control CNN, CBS, TikTok. Bari Weiss installed at CBS News.
- Larry Ellison backing $111B Paramount-WBD merger — would control CNN, CBS, HBO, TikTok US
- $150M spent acquiring The Free Press, installing Bari Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief
- Haim Saban: 'I'm a one-issue guy, and my issue is Israel' — owned Univision
- CNN staffers 'shaken' by what takeover means for newsroom independence
- Bernie Sanders warned this consolidation represents 'oligarchy'
Sources: NBC News, IBTimes, Columbia Journalism Review, NPR
Paid Influence Operations
'Esther Project' paying US influencers $7K/post. 1,000 pastors flown to Israel, 10,000 planned for 2026.
- DOJ FARA filing reveals 'Esther Project' — US influencers paid $6-7K/post
- Bridges Partners LLC formed June 2025 in Delaware, contract up to $900K
- 3-6 influencers onboarded at a time, posting 25-30 pieces/month each
- 1,000 US pastors flown to Israel in December 2025, all expenses paid
- Plans to bring 10,000 pastors in 2026 — trained as 'ambassadors'
Sources: Truthout, DOJ FARA database, The Forward, Responsible Statecraft
Hasbara (State Propaganda)
Israel Foreign Ministry: $150M in 2025, $630-730M approved for 2026 — 20x increase.
- Pre-2025 hasbara budget: ~$7.5M/year
- 2025: $150M secured by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar — a 20x increase
- 2026: Israeli cabinet approved $630-730M
- Nearly $1 BILLION in two years for foreign propaganda
- Funds influencer payments, pastor trips, digital warfare units, think tanks
Sources: Times of Israel, The New Arab, Word&Way
Silencing Accountability
Pressuring ICC, 254+ journalists killed in Gaza (CPJ), attacking press freedom globally.
- 254+ journalists and media workers killed since Oct 7, 2023 (CPJ)
- 2024: Deadliest year in CPJ history — 85 killed in Gaza alone
- 2025: 81% of all journalists murdered globally were killed by Israel
- ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant — Israel deployed 'hundreds of lawyers'
- $33.7B in US taxpayer money since Oct 2023 (Brown University)
Sources: CPJ.org, ICC, Brown University Costs of War, Congress.gov
The Comparison
No other foreign government operates an influence apparatus of this scale in US politics. Not Qatar. Not Saudi Arabia. Not China. The data below is drawn from DOJ FARA filings and OpenSecrets.
| Country | US Lobbying | State Propaganda | PACs | Paid Influencer Ops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Israel | $100M+/cycle | $730M (2026) | 16+ | Esther Project ($900K contract) |
| Saudi Arabia | ~$37M (2023) | Unknown | 0 | None documented |
| Qatar | ~$24M (2023) | Al Jazeera ($500M est.) | 0 | None documented |
| China | ~$5-10M/yr | Unknown | 0 (illegal) | None documented via FARA |
Sources: DOJ FARA filings, OpenSecrets, FEC filings, Times of Israel
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Israel lobby spend on US elections?
Over $100 million per election cycle through a network of 16+ political action committees. AIPAC's super PAC, United Democracy Project (UDP), entered 2026 with a $96 million war chest. Additional spending flows through shell PACs with names designed to obscure the lobby's involvement, such as 'Elect Chicago Women' and 'Affordable Chicago Now!' Sources: FEC filings, OpenSecrets, The Intercept.
What is Israel's hasbara budget?
Israel's Foreign Ministry secured $150 million for propaganda (hasbara) operations in 2025 — a 20x increase from the previous ~$7.5 million annual budget. In 2026, the Israeli cabinet approved $630-730 million, bringing the two-year total to nearly $1 billion dedicated to shaping foreign public opinion. Sources: Times of Israel, The New Arab.
How many journalists has Israel killed since October 2023?
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 254+ journalists and media workers have been killed since October 7, 2023. CPJ recorded 2024 as the deadliest year in its history, with 85 journalists killed in Gaza alone. In 2025, 81% of all journalists murdered globally for their work were killed by Israel. Sources: CPJ.org.
What is the Esther Project?
The Esther Project is a code-named influence operation revealed through DOJ FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) filings. It involves a Delaware-registered LLC called Bridges Partners that recruits US social media influencers to post pro-Israel content on TikTok and Instagram at an estimated $6,000-$7,000 per post, funded by a contract worth up to $900,000. Sources: Truthout, DOJ FARA database, The Forward.
Does any other country run an influence operation this large in the US?
No. No other foreign government operates a comparable influence apparatus in American politics. Saudi Arabia spent approximately $37 million on US lobbying in 2023. Qatar spent approximately $24 million. China's known US lobbying totals roughly $5-10 million annually. Israel's combined operation — lobby spending, media control, paid influencers, and a $730 million state propaganda budget — is orders of magnitude larger. Sources: DOJ FARA filings, OpenSecrets.
Explore the Investigation
Sources
FEC Filings: Federal Election Commission public database — fec.gov
OpenSecrets: Center for Responsive Politics lobbying data — opensecrets.org
DOJ FARA: Foreign Agents Registration Act filings — fara.us.doj.gov
CPJ: Committee to Protect Journalists — cpj.org
Brown University: Costs of War project — watson.brown.edu/costsofwar
Congress.gov: Congressional Research Service reports — congress.gov
Times of Israel: Israeli government budget reporting — timesofisrael.com
The Intercept: AIPAC PAC network reporting — theintercept.com
Truthout: Esther Project investigation — truthout.org
Responsible Statecraft: Pastor mobilization reporting — responsiblestatecraft.org
ICC: International Criminal Court official site — icc-cpi.int