Former Congressman Matt Gaetz recounted a bizarre experience at an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) event where attendees were allegedly required to use QR codes on name badges to solicit donations. “You get there and you wear this name badge. And I remember there’s a QR code on it,” Gaetz said, describing how donors would scan the codes after conversations. He criticized the practice as degrading, comparing it to “scanning you like a can of tomato soup.”
Gaetz also alleged an unsettling incident during a trip to Israel, claiming someone was “rooting around” in his hotel room. “I rolled back to my room unexpectedly… There’s a dude in my room,” he stated, describing the man as pretending to be a hotel employee without a clipboard. He said he reported the encounter to committee leadership, who dismissed it as “regular” and warned him not to leave valuables in foreign hotel rooms.
AIPAC denied Gaetz’s claims, calling them “preposterously false” and accusing him of attempting to undermine “patriotic Americans” supporting U.S.-Israel relations. The group emphasized its commitment to “American interests and values.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) also criticized AIPAC, stating she is one of the few members who refuses its funding. She accused the organization of functioning as a foreign lobbyist for Israel, arguing it should be registered under U.S. law. Greene further claimed AIPAC’s trips to Israel aim to “make sure [Congress members] don’t step out of line,” labeling the group’s actions as serving a “foreign country.”
A fundraising email from AIPAC labeled Greene as “anti-Israel,” citing her criticism of the Gaza war and alignment with progressive lawmakers like Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar. The group reiterated its stance against “extremists” opposing U.S.-Israel ties, despite Greene’s assertions that she remains steadfastly American.
