Gatestone Institute
Network Map
Organizational hierarchy & network connections
OVERVIEW
The Gatestone Institute is a New York-based think tank founded by Nina Rosenwald, described by The Nation as "the sugar mama of anti-Muslim hate." The organization publishes high-volume online content promoting anti-Muslim narratives, European far-right figures, and debunked conspiracy theories. Former chairman John Bolton (2013-2018) was paid at least $310,000 by Gatestone before becoming Trump's National Security Advisor. The Intercept has called it "an actual fake news publisher infamous for spreading anti-Muslim hate."
KEY FIGURES
Nina Rosenwald (Founder/President) — Granddaughter of Julius Rosenwald (Sears, Roebuck co-founder). President of the Abstraction Fund (private family foundation). Board affiliations include AIPAC, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Hudson Institute.
John Bolton (Former Chairman, 2013-2018) — Resigned to become Trump's National Security Advisor. Paid $155,000 in 2017 alone.
Rebekah Mercer — Listed as board member in 2017; Gatestone scrubbed her name from the website after media inquiries.
Contributors include: Geert Wilders (Dutch far-right), Fjordman (cited 22 times by Anders Breivik in his manifesto), Daniel Pipes, Bat Ye'or.
FUNDING & FINANCES
| Source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Abstraction Fund (Rosenwald) | $1.87 million (2010-2015) |
| Middle East Forum | $1.1 million (2013) |
| Mercer Family Foundation | $450,000 (2014-2017) |
| Donors Trust | $110,000 (2019) |
Revenue peaked above $2 million annually in the mid-2010s; declined to $1.25 million in 2023 with net assets of just $223,231.
DOCUMENTED FALSE CLAIMS
- Claimed 500 London churches closed and 423 mosques opened — actually 700 new churches opened in the same period
- Fabricated a quote attributed to Muslims telling Europeans "One day this will all be ours" — the quote came from a French Catholic bishop
- Claimed European "no-go zones" governed by Sharia law — false per multiple fact-checkers
- Claimed Swedish rapes increased 1,472% due to multiculturalism — actual increase was 13%
EUROPEAN FAR-RIGHT CONNECTIONS
- Geert Wilders (Netherlands): Published his writings, hosted events, paid for his US trips
- AfD (Germany): AfD politicians regularly shared Gatestone articles during the 2017 election
- Fjordman (Norway): Published his articles; his writings influenced mass killer Anders Breivik
- Rebel News (Canada): Formal partnership with the far-right Canadian outlet
DESIGNATIONS
- Media Bias/Fact Check: Rated QUESTIONABLE SOURCE — extreme right bias (8.8/10), mixed factual reporting
- SPLC: Characterized as promoting anti-Muslim conspiracy theories (not formally designated as hate group)
- NBC News: Described as an "anti-Muslim think tank"
Linked Profiles
Individuals documented in connection with Gatestone Institute
