Finance Minister Smotrich Admits English Speech Gaffe Damaged His Confidence

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich revealed in a recent podcast interview that a widely circulated edited video of his English speech at a March 2023 Bondex conference significantly impacted his self-confidence. The video highlighted several of his stumbles and hesitations during the address, which was his first time delivering a twenty-minute speech in English.

Smotrich, speaking on the "In Yasmine's Salon" podcast, admitted that the edited clip, which focused on his errors, caused him to lose confidence instantly. He reflected that he made a mistake by not immediately giving another English speech afterward, comparing the situation to getting back behind the wheel after a car accident.

He explained that while he believed the speech itself was good, with only three or four minor slips due to nervousness, the subsequent editing and viral spread of the clip were damaging. Smotrich acknowledged that he should have overcome the embarrassment and continued to speak English publicly.

Despite the incident, Smotrich stated that he can conduct one-on-one conversations in English, understand, and speak the language. However, he admitted to trying to reframe the situation by emphasizing speaking Hebrew, though he now views avoiding further English speeches as a mistake.