"A pair of clowns": Barak Ravid opened up about global politics and his view on Amit Segal
Barak Ravid, a guest on Erez Tal's program, discussed his first conversation with the US President, advance information regarding the strike on Iran, his departure from Channel 13, and his complex relationship with Amit Segal.
Even when Barak Ravid expresses his opinion, his tone remains calm and relaxed, as if he is reporting a routine news item. In the new episode of Erez Tal's program "What really happened there?" that aired last Friday, he provided exclusive scoops and food for thought in a very short time, revealing the behind-the-scenes of global politics from the closest vantage point possible.
Ravid is arguably the most famous Israeli journalist globally, though he remained relatively unknown in Israel for years. Only in the last year, as he began delivering direct reports on US President Donald Trump for Channel 12, did the Aldo Beckman Award winner become a household name in Israel. He divides most of his time between CNN broadcasts and the news site Axios, receiving information from sources that have impressed even Volodymyr Zelensky.
The conversation between Ravid and Tal was precise and calm. Ravid spoke about his first face-to-face conversation with Trump at Mar-a-Lago months after his election loss, the moment he received the US President's phone number, the information he obtained regarding an Israeli strike in Iran before Operation "Iron Swords," and his firing from Channel 13.
His measured answers provided plenty of food for thought. Without needing long manifestos on the state of journalism or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his stance was clear. He labeled Yaakov Bardugo and Yehuda Schlesinger "a pair of clowns," shared his surprise when Trump answered his call for the first time, and spoke with enthusiasm about his interviews with Zelensky, with whom he remains in constant contact. These details felt less like a scoop and more like a professional reflecting on a career that "just by chance" involves constant contact with the world's most powerful people.
Ravid noted that the information he holds makes his electronic devices a target for hostile intelligence agencies. Even as he speaks, one can see him choosing every word carefully before revealing details about his connections. This offered a glimpse into the power journalists wield and their ability to bypass government mechanisms to obtain the most precious resource: knowledge. His remarks raised questions about why world leaders entrust information to reporters as an indirect tool to achieve political goals.
One of the most intriguing moments concerned his ties with Amit Segal. Ravid revealed that they had not spoken for years until he decided to send Segal a copy of his book with a dedication. Erez Tal added that it was Segal who recommended Ravid for his current position at the channel, even though Segal himself was a candidate. Tal quoted Segal as saying: "In terms of recruiting sources, he is the best reporter I have ever known."
The mutual appreciation between the charismatic, opinionated Segal and the matter-of-fact, "dry" Ravid was not one-sided. Ravid said of Segal: "I think Amit is a person with invaluable experience, one of the greatest experts on Israeli politics. He is not a fake; he is the real deal." It was refreshing to hear such indirect compliments exchanged between two senior figures of the Israeli media, even with their different political agendas.
Throughout the conversation, it was clear that for every sentence Ravid spoke, there were ten he wanted to say but could not. The Pulitzer-aiming journalist offered a window into a different way of working, where one can call the Foreign Minister of Qatar and hope for an answer. Tal and Ravid managed to stimulate curiosity without stepping on the many mines such a conversation could create, providing 45 minutes of fascinating insight.
