Satirist Bassem Youssef to Appear on Egyptian Intelligence-Owned Media Company
The former "Jon Stewart of the Arab World" who fled Egypt in 2014 will appear on shows produced by United Media Services, a company reportedly owned by Egypt's General Intelligence Service
On Saturday, Dan Burmawi, a Middle Eastern-born theologian and founder of Project Ex, revealed on X that Egyptian-American comedian Bassem Youssef was on the cusp of signing a large contract orchestrated by United Media Services (UMS), an Egyptian media company linked to one of the country’s intelligence agencies.
Multiple Arabic news outlets, including Shbabbek and Masr Times, reported that Youssef will appear on a show hosted by Ahmed Salem titled “The Last Word” starting October 7, 2025. Ahram Online writes this will be via satellite from Los Angeles, not a physical return to Egypt. For its part, Egyptian Streets describes the arrangement as “a special interview series” rather than a permanent show.
UMS Owned By Egyptian Intelligence
According to multiple reports, UMS is owned by the General Intelligence Service, an Egyptian intelligence agency and secret police force. Mada Masr reported in 2022 that UMS is an “intelligence-owned media company” that controls major Egyptian outlets including Al-Watan, Youm7, Al-Dostour, and Sawt al-Umma.
Mada Masr also detailed how intelligence directives banned live-streaming content and imposed restrictions on coverage of controversial topics like price hikes, with employees receiving orders to delete content that deviated from official government messaging. Similarly, the Committee to Protect Journalists wrote in July 2025 that UMS is “owned and closely linked to Egypt’s General Intelligence Service.”
The Rise of Bassem Youssef
Youssef rose to prominence during Egypt’s Arab Spring with his political satire show “Al-Bernameg,” which attracted 30 million weekly viewers, roughly a third of Egypt’s population, making him one of the Middle East’s most influential media figures. His groundbreaking satirical criticism of government authority broke longstanding taboos in Egyptian television.
After facing legal threats and government pressure, Youssef fled Egypt in 2014 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2019. He has since gained international recognition through viral interviews, particularly on Piers Morgan Uncensored, where his sharp criticism of Israeli policies and defense of Palestinian rights have made him a controversial voice in Middle Eastern political discourse.
Critics like Burmawi have accused Youssef of representing a broader pattern where individuals “come to the West, claim asylum, gain citizenship, and then travel freely back to their countries, using their new passports as shields while attacking the West.”
Youssef’s Radical, Po-Terror Content
Youssef’s positions on Middle Eastern conflicts have drawn significant criticism from various observers. In a September 2025 post, he promoted conspiracy theories linking the September 11 attacks to Israeli actions, writing that “there were people who spoke about the lies Israel spread with October 7th to have an excuse for genocide” and claiming that “people didn’t believe Iraq’s WMD hoax,” suggesting parallels between historical events. Critics, including analyst Kyle Orton, have characterized Youssef’s post as promoting “conspiracy theories about the 7 October pogrom to 9/11 denialism.”
Additionally, during appearances on programs like Piers Morgan Uncensored, Youssef has made statements that have drawn widespread condemnation from critics who accuse him of spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories. Youssef admitted to Piers Morgan that claims about Israeli responsibility for certain incidents were false, yet suggested these lies were being spread intentionally “because it’s the internet and I’m a comedian” as a way to stoke division and dismantle the United States.
Critics have also accused Youssef of Holocaust denial and making false claims about the October 7 Hamas attack, with some commentators characterizing him as promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Youssef’s controversial rhetoric escalated to the point where his X account was temporarily deactivated in August 2024 following a series of posts containing antisemitic content. Critics argue that his continued platform presence legitimizes dangerous misinformation about historical events and current conflicts, leading to growing calls for accountability regarding his public statements.