FARA Complaint Alleges U.S-Based Social Media Influencers Are Acting as Agents of Israeli Government
Mr. John A. Eisenberg
Assistant Attorney General for National Security
Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Unit
National Security Division
U.S. Department of Justice
175 N Street, NE
Constitution Square, Building 3- Room 1.300
Washington, DC 20002
Dear Mr. Eisenberg,
Please accept this letter as a formal complaint regarding apparent violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), specifically 22 U.S.C. § 612(a), by approximately 14-18 U.S-based social media influencers (the “Influencers”) who appear to be operating as unregistered agents of the Government of Israel. Bridge Partners, a Delaware-based LLC, is compensating these individuals as part of a $900,000 contract on behalf of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to create content as described in Bridges Partners’ Exhibit A B form and Registration Statement filed with the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Despite their legal obligation to register as agents of a foreign principal, none of these Influencers have filed the required registration statements with the Department of Justice. Currently, only the co-owner of Bridges Partners, Uri Steinberg, is listed as a foreign agent on the contract.
According to the contract filed under FARA on September 26, 2025 and reviewed by the Quincy Institute and Public Citizen, Bridges Partners LLC is carrying out this work as a subcontractor of Havas Media Group Germany on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The influencer campaign, nicknamed “Esther Project” on the FARA filing, covers the period from June through November 2025.
Section 22 U.S.C. § 611(b) defines a “foreign principal” to include “a government of a foreign country,” which encompasses the State of Israel and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Section 22 U.S.C. § 611(c)(1) defines an “agent of a foreign principal” as any person who acts at the order, request, or under the direction or control of a foreign principal, and who directly or through any other person engages within the United States in political activities for or in the interests of such foreign principal, or acts within the United States as a publicity agent or information-service employee for or in the interests of such foreign principal.
The Influencers qualify as “agents of a foreign principal” under 22 U.S.C. § 611(c)(1) because they act at the direction and with compensation from the Government of Israel (through Bridges Partners LLC and Havas Media Group Germany), and engage in political activities within the United States by creating and disseminating content designed to influence American public opinion regarding Israel and its policies. By failing to register with FARA within ten days of becoming agents of a foreign principal, the 14-18 influencers contracted by Bridges Partners LLC to produce content in the Esther Project have violated 22 U.S.C. § 612(a), which requires that “[n]o person shall act as an agent of a foreign principal unless he has filed with the Attorney General a true and complete registration statement.” The failure of Bridges Partners LLC to disclose the names and identities of these influencers as required by 22 U.S.C. § 612(a) further compounds this violation and impedes our ability to identify them with certainty.
The Israeli government has a stated interest in promoting its image among the American public through U.S. content creators. In a September 26, 2025 meeting at the Israeli Consulate in New York, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the importance of securing public support for Israel in the United States.
In light of these facts, we respectfully ask that the Department of Justice require Bridges Partners LLC to amend its FARA filings to publicly disclose the complete names, addresses, and contracts of all influencers paid to perform services on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
We appreciate your time and consideration of this complaint and we look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
Public Citizen