While there has been no shortage of debate over the causes, conduct, and consequences of President Donald Trump’s war on Iran, there has been a surprising amount of criticism on all points from some of the commander-in-chief’s supporters on the right. But according to the Bulwark, many prominent MAGA influencers are less interested in directing their ire at the president than they are at each other, claiming others within their movement are paid foreign agents who will end up in prison.
On Wednesday, online MAGA circles went wild over unsubstantiated rumors that the Justice Department was investigating whether certain conservative commentators were being paid by foreign governments to stir up antagonism toward or favor for the war. Some of these influencers were thrilled at the prospect of seeing their fellow far-rightists behind bars or banished.
The X profile Catturd, for example — which has over 4 million followers — tweet-shouted “DO IT !!!” over a repost spreading word of the supposed investigation.
And conservative political operative Jack Posobiec (himself no stranger to pushing foreign agendas) suggested that, “Influencers who take foreign money and don’t disclose it should be deported to the country they took the money from.”
So excited and concerned over the rumor was MAGA podcaster Graham Allen that he went ahead and preemptively offered his financials to authorities, declaring, “These grifters must be exposed!”
This far-right influencer in-fight has been spurred by a stark division between those viewed as pro-Israel supporters of Trump’s war, like Mark Levin and Laura Loomer, and anti-Israel war opponents like Tucker Carlson, Alex Jones, and Candace Owens. Interestingly enough, it’s far from the first time the issue of paid foreign influence has rankled MAGA circles.
While conservative podcaster Benny Johnson asserted that the rumored investigation is “good,” posting that it “will be telling who crashes out over this. I welcome it,” he himself has been ensnared in such controversy in the past. In late 2024, it was revealed that Russia had paid millions of dollars to the group Tenet Media — which included far-right influencers Benny Johnson, Tim Pool and others — in exchange for propagating pro-Kremlin talking points.
MAGA pundit Rob Smith, who excitedly suggested that he would “PERSONALLY investigate” the matter, recently took heat for what appeared to be a quid pro quo exchange with Qatar. Laura Loomer — herself accused of loyalty to Israel — has previously deemed one nemesis “Tucker Qatarlson” due to his supposed ties to the country. And in November, FBI director Kash Patel’s country music singer girlfriend Alexis Wilkins claimed she’d discovered a foreign-funded effort to convince people she’s an operative of the Israeli intelligence organization Mossad.
While there is no evidence beyond social media rumors that the Justice Department is actually engaged in such an investigation, the MAGA circular firing squad continues to fire at will, even though, as the Bulwark points out, the DOJ has scaled back the Foreign Agents Registration Act, “signaling the administration’s stance on policing foreign influence in our politics.”
In other words, the White House appears to be open for business, regardless of where the money comes from.
