AIPAC’s brand turns toxic as US lawmaker returns pro-Israel lobby donations

Funds donated by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) have been returned by US member of Congress, Seth Moulton, who is running for the Senate in Massachusetts, in the latest sign that America’s most powerful pro-Israel lobby has become politically radioactive.

With public anger surging over Israel’s genocide in Gaza, politicians are increasingly wary of being associated with AIPAC, whose brand has become synonymous with unconditional support for Israel’s far-right government and its crimes against the Palestinian people.

Moulton confirmed that he had returned all donations from the lobby, saying AIPAC “exists today to back Netanyahu’s government” and that he would no longer accept its support. “I’m a friend of Israel,” he said, “but not of its current government.” His remarks reflect a growing unease among US politicians, including within the Democratic Party, about the reputational risk of taking AIPAC money at a time when Israel stands accused of genocide before the International Court of Justice.

I am returning AIPAC donations and refusing to accept any donations or support from them.

The FEC filing I made yesterday reflects that we are returning donations. pic.twitter.com/shBgHmYB1s

— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) October 16, 2025

AIPAC, long regarded as one of the most influential pressure groups, has spent tens of millions of dollars targeting candidates critical of Israel. Its Super PAC, the United Democracy Project, poured record sums into Democratic primaries this year, attempting to unseat members of Congress such as Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Jamaal Bowman — all of whom have condemned Israel’s mass killing of Palestinians and demanded an arms embargo.

Report: AIPAC faces historic challenges over Israel war on Gaza

Progressive groups, including Justice Democrats and Jewish Voice for Peace Action, have launched the “Reject AIPAC” campaign, urging candidates to refuse funding from the lobby and expose its efforts to silence dissent. The coalition describes AIPAC’s influence as deeply corrosive to democracy. The movement has gained traction as polls show US public opinion shifting dramatically: an overwhelming majority of Democrats oppose Israel.

AIPAC’s reputation has been further damaged by its alliances with US politicians linked to far-right and anti-democratic movements. The lobby has channelled funds to more than one hundred Republican lawmakers who voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Critics argue that this exposes AIPAC’s priorities — defending Israel at any cost, even at the expense of US democratic norms.

Analysts say the shift represents a deeper unravelling of what has long been called “Brand Israel” — the carefully cultivated image of a liberal democracy defending itself against extremism. That narrative has collapsed under the weight of the Gaza genocide, in which more than 68,000 Palestinians, including at least 15,000 children, have been killed since October 2023. The destruction of entire neighbourhoods, the use of starvation as a weapon of war, and the dehumanising rhetoric from Israeli officials have eroded Israel’s standing not only globally but among ordinary Americans.

Within the Democratic Party, the fallout has been unmistakable. Prominent lawmakers such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Summer Lee, and Betty McCollum have long rejected AIPAC’s overtures, insisting that unconditional support for Israel is incompatible with a commitment to human rights. Others, like Moulton, are now joining that camp.