Israeli‑linked contract tapping database of 25 million U.S. conservatives spotlights foreign influence tactics
Newly disclosed U.S. federal documents show a company working for the Israeli government hired American firm Starboard LLC, which promotes access to a database of more than 25 million “verified conservatives,” to help influence U.S. public opinion. The filing reveals how a close ally is using commercial political data tools inside the United States.
New federal filings in Washington describe an influence effort on U.S. soil tied to the Israeli government and aimed at a highly specific slice of the American electorate.
According to the documents, a company acting on behalf of the Israeli government signed a contract last month with Starboard LLC, a U.S. firm headed by American media executive Ryan. Starboard advertises access to a database of more than 25 million “verified conservatives,” positioning itself as a platform for targeting messages at that audience.
The filings say the purpose of the contract is to help Israel shape U.S. public opinion. They don’t detail the content of the messaging, which media channels will be used, or how long the effort will run.
What stands out is the scale and type of data involved: tens of millions of Americans identified as conservatives and reachable through a commercial database, now available to a client working on behalf of a foreign government.
People whose information sits in that database may encounter messaging aligned with the client’s goals in the form of ads, emails, or other outreach, without knowing that a foreign‑linked contract sits in the background. The documents do not say how consent was obtained for inclusion in the database or whether individuals will be notified.
The filings also show how foreign governments can work within existing U.S. rules by registering contracts and activities but still access sophisticated political targeting tools. In this case, the government involved is a formal U.S. partner rather than an adversary, yet the mechanism resembles methods often discussed in the context of foreign interference.
How U.S. institutions respond will become clearer if Congress seeks testimony on this contract, if regulators revisit disclosure requirements for foreign‑funded political data work, or if other governments pursue similar arrangements aimed at American voter segments.
Sources
- OSINT