Max Blumenthal is an American investigative journalist, author, blogger, and filmmaker known for his critical examinations of Israeli policies, U.S. foreign policy, U.S. neoconservatism, right-wing influence networks, far-right movements, media criticism, progressive activism, and alleged Islamophobia. Born on December 18, 1977, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Jacqueline (née Jordan) and Sidney Blumenthal—a prominent journalist and aide to Presidents Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton—Blumenthal has carved out a niche in alternative media, challenging mainstream narratives on foreign policy and domestic politics. His work often focuses on the Middle East, particularly Palestine and Israel, where he has advocated for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and he has reported extensively on events such as the 2014 Gaza War and U.S. elections from conflict zones. Blumenthal's career includes contributions to outlets such as The Nation, AlterNet, The Daily Beast, Al Akhbar, Mondoweiss, Media Matters for America, Al Jazeera English, The New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. His books include 'Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party' (2009), which critiques the American right-wing; 'Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel' (2013), a controversial examination of Israeli society that won him the 2014 Lannan Cultural Freedom Award; 'The Fifty One Day War' (2015); 'The Management of Savagery'; and other works on American politics. In 2015, he co-founded The Grayzone, an independent news outlet where he serves as editor-in-chief, emphasizing adversarial journalism against imperialism, corporate media, and surveillance states. His filmmaking includes documentaries like 'Killing Gaza' (2018) with Dan Cohen and video reports on topics like the Venezuelan crisis. Blumenthal has targeted figures and networks associated with pro-Israel advocacy, including adversarial relationships with Nina Rosenwald, whom he has accused of funding Islamophobic initiatives, and Raphael Shore. He has faced controversies including bans from social media platforms, accusations of antisemitism from groups like the Anti-Defamation League and critics like Avi Benlolo of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and event bans such as a rescinded 2016 Toronto PEN Canada speaking invitation. He received the 2019 Serena Shim Award for 'uncompromised integrity in journalism,' though this has been controversial due to its association with a group supportive of the Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad. Despite these challenges, he remains a key voice in left-leaning media, advocating for transparency in influence networks and anti-war positions.