Barak Ravid screened Trump: Channel 12 reporter reveals unusual incident
In an open conversation with Erez Tal, journalist Barak Ravid reveals for the first time that he was forced to decline a surprise call from US President Donald Trump just seconds before a live broadcast of the program "Ulpan Shishi".
Barak Ravid, a political commentator for CNN and a foreign correspondent for Channel 12, was a guest on the program "What Really Happened There" hosted by Erez Tal, where he recounted a surprise call he received from US President Donald Trump just seconds before going on air.
Tal, who has closely followed Ravid's journalistic work, recalled a particularly unusual moment and asked the veteran reporter to share the details. "There was a time you were about to go live on 'Ulpan Shishi', you had already connected your phone, and suddenly Trump was on the line. You hung up on him, you screened Trump," Erez Tal noted.
Barak Ravid confirmed the story and described the difficult situation he faced:
"It was at the stage where they tell you in your earpiece: '15 seconds'. I said to myself: 'Okay, what is worse? If I answer and start moving around, no one will understand what is happening on screen, or if I don't answer, I finish my report and then I'll be free.' I decided the second option was better. I finished the report, called him back, he answered, and everything was fine. I returned to the broadcast a few minutes later with a headline."
As is well known, in June 2025, during Operation "Am Ke-Lavi", Ravid spoke with President Donald Trump on several occasions. In these private conversations, Trump revealed his stance regarding the war's impact on his diplomatic moves toward Iran. A year earlier, Ravid received the Aldo Beckman Award from the White House Correspondents' Association for excellence in covering the White House.
