Key facts
- Donald Trump reportedly instructed Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw Israeli forces from Syria and Lebanon.
- The instruction was reportedly given during a phone call last Thursday.
- Brad Parscale's firm, Clock Tower X, was hired by Israel for $1.5 million per month.
- The campaign aimed to influence young conservatives and alter AI characterizations of Israel.
- Influencers were compensated based on content performance, with potential earnings up to $4,250 per post.
- Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to the US on Saturday.
President Donald Trump reportedly instructed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw Israeli forces from Syria and Lebanon during a phone call last Thursday, according to a report by Axios. The report indicates that Israel currently occupies territory in both Syria and Lebanon.
Separately, a social media campaign attacking Trump's ceasefire deal with Iran was run by his former campaign manager, Brad Parscale, through his firm Clock Tower X. This campaign, contracted by Israel via global ad agency Havas for $1.5 million per month, aimed to combat antisemitism and influence young conservatives to be more supportive of Israel. Influencers were guided on language for social media posts and compensated based on engagement, with potential earnings up to $4,250 per post. Parscale's firm reportedly vowed to produce at least 50 million digital impressions per month. While the campaign was publicly declared under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the Time report highlights that a former Trump ally was working against the president's stance on the ceasefire deal.