Howard Kohr held secret meetings with Richard Goldberg to coordinate AIPAC's lobbying efforts with FDD's policy advocacy on Iran sanctions and military aid to Israel. These meetings were used to align messaging, target key policymakers, and shape legislative initiatives without public disclosure of their collaboration.

David Schenker and Richard Goldberg have collaborated closely on Middle East policy, particularly regarding Iran. Goldberg, a senior advisor at FDD and a key architect of the Trump administration's Iran policy, worked with Schenker on strategies to counter Iranian influence in the region, including during Goldberg's tenure at the National Security Council. Both shared a hawkish stance on Iran and worked to advance the Trump administration's maximum pressure campaign, employing sanctions and diplomatic pressure to isolate Iran. Their collaboration involved designing and implementing sanctions targeting Iran's economy and military, and extended to advocacy efforts, including joint op-eds and policy recommendations. Schenker used Goldberg as an intermediary to coordinate U.S. policy on Iran with hardline factions in the Trump administration, including John Bolton and Mike Pompeo. Goldberg, a former NSC official, acted as a fixer between Schenker and pro-Israel lobbying groups, such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and FDD, to push for sanctions and military pressure on Iran. Their coordination, which was not publicly disclosed, also involved discussions on the Abraham Accords. Their partnership spans both government and think tank roles.

Goldberg serves as a key bridge between FDD and the Trump administration's 'Maximum Pressure' campaign. After leaving the NSC in 2020, he returned to FDD and later served as a senior counselor for the White House National Energy Dominance Council through August 2025, while maintaining his FDD affiliation.