The IDF said on Tuesday it has removed a soldier from her position in its international communications division and imposed a suspended jail sentence after she appeared in an online broadcast with controversial American influencer Clavicular.
The soldier, Shira Braun, worked in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit’s international communications branch and was involved in managing the military’s foreign-language social media accounts, including its TikTok presence. Her appearance with Clavicular, whose given name is Braden Peters, during his visit to Israel prompted criticism because of his history of misogynistic content, extreme appearance advice and public associations with far-right influencers.
Influencer Clavicular at a restaurant in Tel Aviv
(Video: from X)
“Following a command review held with the soldier regarding her conduct, it was decided to impose a suspended jail sentence, which will take effect if she commits another disciplinary offense,” the IDF said in a statement.
The military said Braun was also disqualified from her professional role and would be transferred out of both her position and her unit. The decision followed disciplinary proceedings conducted by her commanders, according to the statement.
Braun became a focus of public attention after appearing with Peters during a livestream from Israel. The episode drew particular scrutiny because of her role representing the military online and Peters’ record of courting controversy through broadcasts built around appearance, dating and confrontation.
Peters, 20, rose to internet prominence in 2025 through TikTok and the livestreaming platform Kick as one of the most recognizable figures in the online “looksmaxxing” movement. The loosely defined subculture encourages mostly young men to improve their appearance as a route to greater social status, confidence and romantic success. Its language includes terms such as “mogging,” meaning to outshine another person physically, and “hardmaxxing,” referring to more drastic interventions such as cosmetic procedures or intensive body modification.
Peters’ online name refers to the clavicle, or collarbone, whose width is treated in some looksmaxxing communities as an important measure of male attractiveness.
He has described using testosterone and anabolic steroids from a young age and has promoted or discussed extreme practices including “bone smashing,” in which people strike their faces in the unsupported belief that the bones will grow back in a more desirable shape. He also has spoken publicly about using powerful drugs to suppress his appetite. Medical professionals and media reports have warned that such practices can cause serious physical and psychological harm.
His following grew through provocative livestreams, viral clips and appearances with controversial figures. He has frequently socialized or appeared on camera with white nationalist activist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, streamer Sneako, podcaster Myron Gaines and brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate. Peters has described himself as politically unaffiliated, and public reporting does not establish that every appearance amounted to an endorsement of the views held by others in the group.
Fuentes is a far-right activist known for racist, antisemitic and Holocaust-denying statements. Sneako and Gaines have built large audiences through content associated with the online “manosphere,” a collection of communities focused on masculinity, dating and opposition to feminism. Andrew and Tristan Tate have faced criminal allegations in several jurisdictions, which they have denied.
In January, Peters joined Fuentes, Sneako, Gaines, the Tate brothers and other internet personalities at the Vendôme nightclub in Miami Beach. Videos showed members of the group arriving and partying while the song “Heil Hitler” by rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, played in the background. Some were filmed singing along and throwing Hitler salutes.
The nightclub apologized, called the material “deeply offensive and unacceptable,” announced an internal investigation and said it had barred those involved. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner, who is Jewish and has relatives who were killed in the Holocaust, condemned the footage.
Peters later faced backlash over his participation and addressed the incident on a subsequent livestream. The available footage established that he was present with the group while the song played, though accounts varied over the conduct of each person visible in the videos.
His visit to Israel last week divided Israeli and pro-Israel social media users. Supporters highlighted the favorable attention he gave the country, while critics argued that Israelis should not embrace a figure who had associated publicly with Fuentes and participated in the Miami nightclub episode.
Braden Peters 'Clavicular' and Shira Braun
(Photo: from social media)
During the trip, Peters broadcast extensively from Tel Aviv and other locations. He met Rabbi Yossi Farro, a Chabad activist known for encouraging Jews to put on tefillin, or traditional Jewish prayer boxes, ate at kosher restaurants, walked along Tel Aviv’s seaside promenade and filmed a date with an Israeli social media personality.
He also joked about seeking a collaboration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he called “The Big Yahu.” His streams attracted attention partly because of the contrast between his positive presentation of Israel and his previous conduct alongside figures associated with antisemitism.
Some Israeli commentators argued that his visit offered an opportunity to reach a young online audience that rarely encounters favorable content about Israel. Others said his presence normalized misogyny, antisemitism and the use of deliberately offensive content to generate views.
Braun’s involvement intensified the controversy because she was not simply another Israeli social media personality appearing in Peters’ broadcasts. As a soldier assigned to the military’s international communications operation, she was connected to one of Israel’s most visible official information channels.
The IDF did not say that Braun had given Peters formal access to military accounts or classified systems. The disciplinary action concerned her conduct and appearance with him, according to the military’s statement.
Reports about the broadcast also triggered debate over whether Braun was being held disproportionately responsible while civilian influencers and public figures who met Peters faced no comparable institutional consequences. Others said the military had little choice because of her official position and the reputational sensitivity of the Spokesperson’s Unit.
Braden Peters 'Clavicular' and Shira Braun
Peters’ content frequently centers on what he portrays as the harsh realities of dating and physical attractiveness. His broadcasts often involve women who appear on camera with him as he evaluates their looks, behavior or desirability. Critics have characterized the material as degrading and misogynistic, while his supporters describe it as provocative entertainment or an unfiltered presentation of modern dating culture.
Despite the criticism, women frequently participate in his livestreams and public appearances, helping fuel the spectacle and viral reach on which his popularity depends.
His rise illustrates how quickly internet personalities can move from niche online communities into mainstream visibility. Looksmaxxing began in forums connected to incel culture and male appearance anxiety but has spread into TikTok, fashion and the wider influencer economy. Some of its most basic advice, such as exercising, improving hygiene or dressing well, is conventional. Its more extreme branches promote pseudoscience, dangerous drug use, cosmetic intervention and a worldview that reduces social value to facial proportions and physical dominance.
For the IDF, however, the immediate issue was not Peters’ broader cultural significance but the judgment exercised by a soldier entrusted with helping manage the military’s public image.
Braun’s suspended sentence means she will serve time in military detention only if she commits another disciplinary violation during the period set by her commanders. Her professional disqualification means she can no longer serve in the communications role for which she was trained and will complete her military service elsewhere.