A top Trump ally has taken the reins at a highly contentious Israeli spyware company, NSO Group, which has been at the center of several controversies in recent years. David Friedman, a close confidant of former President Donald Trump and the U.S. ambassador to Israel from 2017-2021, is now leading the helm of the company.
NSO Group has faced intense scrutiny over its Pegasus spyware tool, which has been used to target journalists, activists, and dissidents across the globe. Human rights groups have long accused the company of being complicit in human rights abuses by governments around the world, and many countries have banned its use altogether.
The appointment of Friedman as CEO raises further concerns about the company's activities and potential ties to the Israeli government. NSO Group has denied allegations that it is involved in state-sponsored espionage, but numerous reports have documented its tools being used by governments to surveil and silence critics.
As tensions between Israel and its adversaries continue to escalate, the appointment of Friedman as CEO of a company with such a checkered past has many observers questioning whether this development marks a new era of greater cooperation between the Israeli government and the Trump administration.
NSO Group has faced intense scrutiny over its Pegasus spyware tool, which has been used to target journalists, activists, and dissidents across the globe. Human rights groups have long accused the company of being complicit in human rights abuses by governments around the world, and many countries have banned its use altogether.
The appointment of Friedman as CEO raises further concerns about the company's activities and potential ties to the Israeli government. NSO Group has denied allegations that it is involved in state-sponsored espionage, but numerous reports have documented its tools being used by governments to surveil and silence critics.
As tensions between Israel and its adversaries continue to escalate, the appointment of Friedman as CEO of a company with such a checkered past has many observers questioning whether this development marks a new era of greater cooperation between the Israeli government and the Trump administration.
I'm still trying to get over how the US is just letting this happen. Like, what's next? Is the US gonna start selling nuclear tech to rogue countries too? 
David Friedman's got some major baggage as a Trump ally, you know? All those shady deals and questionable friendships with folks like Jared Kushner... it's raising some serious eyebrows. And let's not forget about Pegasus – that spyware tool is straight up creepy! 
If the Israeli gov't is behind this, it's just another example of how they're willing to do whatever it takes to silence dissenting voices. Can we please just have a transparent and accountable tech industry for once? 
. Like, I get it, he's got connections to Trump and all that, but c'mon, a company that's been used to spy on journalists and activists? It's like, super shady 
. And now with the Israeli government involved, it just gets creepier 
. Have you seen the vids of Pegasus being used in Morocco and Malaysia? The stuff is insane 
. We need more transparency about who's using this spyware and for what reasons. Can't let the powerful exploit the vulnerable like that 
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. And let's be real, NSO Group has been using its tools for some seriously questionable stuff - journalists getting hacked, dissidents being silenced... it's a total free-for-all 
. I hope someone is keeping an eye on this guy, 'cause he's gotta be answering to someone 
. like, isnt there somethin about the us gov't gettin involved with spyware? aint that kinda shady?! and whats up w/ israel & trump again??? can we just have some peace n quiet on this stuff pls?! 
i dont wanna be that person but i gotta say...this doesnt smell right 
... if you ask me, we should be having a bigger conversation about who's really responsible for these spyware tools being used in human rights abuses 
the fact that no one's held accountable yet is kinda messed up 
. I mean, David Friedman's got some major baggage, you know? His connection to Trump and all that drama... it's like, one thing I get, but then there's NSO Group and what they're doing with their spyware tool 
. I'm all for a little diplomacy and cooperation between Israel and the US, but come on, we gotta be careful here.
. I get that human rights groups are right to be concerned – it's like, we gotta protect our journalists and activists from being silenced 
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. It's just gotta be done with a lot more care and consideration for the people on the ground 
. Maybe this is an opportunity to re-think how we approach espionage and surveillance? 
like, isn't he just trying to make some cash off his old trump connections? and what's the diff if he's leading the company now vs before? seems like the whole point of him being there is to legitimize the Israeli gov's questionable surveillance tactics 
I mean, how can you just leave it in the hands of someone who was Trump's buddy? 
Those human rights groups are right, governments using this stuff to silence people... it's like they're above the law or something 
i mean, what else can you expect when it comes to the US-Israel relationship? 
but seriously, how much more cover-up is needed before we acknowledge that companies like NSO Group are basically just tools for governments to silence their critics? 
david friedman leading nso group is just straight up shady 
but now it's like they're putting one of trump's most loyal ppl in charge? 
it's like they're giving permission to governments to just do whatever they want and ignore human rights laws 
. The company's history is literally riddled with human rights abuses and espionage allegations - how can we trust them now? 
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... Not exactly the kind of transparency we need in our spyware world 
. I'm not sure how much more scrutiny NSO Group can take before something blows up in their face 
. David Friedman's appointment raises so many questions about the level of cooperation between Israel and the US, especially considering Trump's, ahem, "interesting" relationship with Israel 