Israeli journalist Barak Ravid said he reaches Donald Trump by calling the president’s direct phone number, without coordination with White House spokespeople, formal requests, or middlemen. In an interview with Haaretz’s “On the Line” column, Ravid described how he obtained the number and what he has learned from his conversations with Trump.
Ravid said it began on the second day of the 12-day war, when he noticed American reporters posting material on social media that they had heard directly from Trump. After asking one of the president’s advisers whether the White House was arranging interviews, he was told no. When he asked how those reporters had spoken to Trump, the adviser replied that they simply called him. Ravid asked for the number, but was refused and told, “You are a good journalist. You will get it yourself.” After several more calls, he did.
He said the contact has continued even when his reporting and analysis are not flattering to the president. In his view, people in the American administration keep talking to him because they believe he deals with them fairly. They may not like every article, he said, but they understand that he is not acting against them out of malice.
Ravid also portrayed Trump as unusually direct in private, describing him as “not only straightforward but also very nice.” He said Trump tries to persuade the person he is speaking with, explain the logic behind his decisions, and be recognized as someone who did not act arbitrarily.
Ravid added that there is a fierce internal battle inside the administration over a deal with Iran. One camp supports signing it, arguing it serves American interests, while another warns that the Iranians will not honor their commitments and therefore there is no point in signing. He said the struggle is visible beyond closed meetings, with each side trying to prove it is right, and that this gives journalists opportunities to obtain information from inside the administration.
