CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
  • Travel
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Fever Dreams
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDBs Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      FOOD & BEVERAGE
        CULTURE
        • Power Trip
        • Fashion
        • Books
        • Royalist
        TECH
        • Disinformation
        SCOUTED
        • Clothing
        • Technology
        • Beauty
        • Home
        • Pets
        • Kitchen
        • Fitness
        • I'm Looking For
        COUPONS
        • Adidas Promo Codes
        • DoorDash Promo Codes
        • H&M Coupons
        • Hotwire Promo Codes
        • Wine.com Discounts
        • Vitacost Coupons
        • Spanx Promo Codes
        • StubHub Promo Codes
        BEST PICKS
        • Best VPNs
        • Best Gaming PCs
        • Best Air Fryers
        Products
        NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
        FOLLOW US
        GOT A TIP?

        SEARCH

        HOMEPAGE
        National Security

        Team Trump Had Many Ties to Israeli Intel Firm in Mueller’s Crosshairs

        SIGH GROUP

        The company promised to use social-media manipulation to get Trump elected. And several members of Trump’s inner circle were very, very interested.

        Erin Banco

        National Security Reporter

        Updated Nov. 29, 2018 5:01AM ET / Published Nov. 28, 2018 10:02PM ET 
        exclusive

        Photo Illustration by Lyne Lucien/The Daily Beast

        At least three members of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign staff reached out to a social media manipulation and intelligence-gathering firm now under scrutiny from Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

        The New York Times reported in October that a senior Trump campaign official, Rick Gates, sought plans from Psy Group, a firm connected to Israeli intelligence, in the hopes the company could help Trump become the Republican nominee and beat Hillary Clinton.

        But The Daily Beast has learned that the overtures from Trump world to Psy Group in 2016 were more extensive than previously reported. Former employees said there were at least two other individuals who reached out to the firm during the campaign. Both represented themselves as members of  Trump’s inner circle, former employees said.

        The identities of those individuals are still unclear. Former employees were reluctant to tell The Daily Beast their names in fear they would face retribution from their colleagues and additional scrutiny from the special counsel’s office.

          Mueller’s team has interviewed a host of employees from Psy Group because of its connection to the Trump camp—another sign that Mueller’s probe has expanded beyond Russian interference in American politics. Several former employees said the firm never went forward with its plan to help the campaign. Others disputed that claim.

          Psy Group’s owner is Joel Zamel, an Australian who also owns the private intelligence group Wikistrat. The special counsel’s office interviewed Zamel several months ago.

          The entrepreneur was deeply connected to members of the Trump team both during the campaign and after the election. The Daily Beast previously reported that Zamel had led conversations with Trump transition officials about his company helping assist other Middle Eastern players, such as Saudi Arabia, with regime change in Iran.

          Zamel pitched Psy Group’s services in a meeting in August 2016 which included former Blackwater founder Erik Prince, Donald Trump Jr., and George Nader, a Lebanese-American political operative and emissary for the United Arab Emirates.

          It’s unclear if Zamel’s pitch was separate from the ones discussed between Psy Group employees and other Trumpworld individuals earlier in the year. Current and former employees who spoke with The Daily Beast said they were unsure if Zamel had developed his own separate operation.

          Erin Banco

          National Security Reporter

          Erin.Banco@thedailybeast.com

          Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.

          READ THIS LIST

          DAILY BEAST
          • Cheat Sheet
          • Politics
          • Crime
          • Entertainment
          • Media
          • World
          • Innovation
          • U.S. News
          • Scouted
          • Travel
          • Subscription
          • Crossword
          • Newsletters
          • Podcasts
          • About
          • Contact
          • Tips
          • Jobs
          • Advertise
          • Help
          • Privacy
          • Code of Ethics & Standards
          • Diversity
          • Terms & Conditions
          • Copyright & Trademark
          • Sitemap
          • Best Picks
          • Coupons:
          • Coupons:
          • Walmart Promo Codes
          • HP Coupon Codes
          • Chewy Promo Codes
          • Ulta Coupons
          • NordVPN Coupons
          • JCPenny Coupons
          • Vistaprint Coupons
          • Samsung Promo Coupons
          • Home Depot Coupons
          • Office Depot Coupons
          • eBay Coupons
          • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
          © 2022 The Daily Beast Company LLC