Fact check: In an interview with Israeli TV network Channel 14 this week, Netanyahu told Israeli voters that he had spent “close to…

Verdict: mixed — Trust Score 59/100

The post accurately reports that Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a recent interview with Israeli TV network Channel 14 that he spent "close to 1,000 hours on American television" and used his "intimate knowledge" of U.S. leaders to bring the United States into the war against Iran. This statement was made in late August/early September 2026, as confirmed by. However, the post's use of the term "manipulated President Trump" is an interpretation of Netanyahu's words rather than a direct quote, and some sources indicate Netanyahu's comments were made in the context of influencing US policy, not necessarily manipulating a specific president.

Platform
tiktok
Source author
nedcapoeira1 — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSq2gvW9W/
Verified on
September 6, 2026
Verification ID
Fzn8h907zH6nd-geIWILKw

Original content reviewed

Platform: TIKTOK Author: @nedcapoeira1 --- Caption/Description --- 🇮🇱 🇺🇸 🇮🇷 In an interview with Israeli TV network Channel 14 this week, Netanyahu told Israeli voters that he had spent “close to 1,000 hours on American television” and used his “intimate knowledge” of U.S. leaders to bring the United States into the war against Iran. ✍️: DropSite on X --- Audio Transcript (What was said) --- It's a little fucked up. Yeah. Why? Well, I mean, to be boasting like that and trying to embarrass the president, I don't like it. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been boasting that he manipulated President Trump to go to war in Iran. And he said I was able to, through 1,000 hours on American TV influence the president and his administration to come to their right mind and attack Iran. A lot of people were called anti Semitic in America for saying that Israel pushed us into the war. But apparently aside from Marco Rubio and Pete Hexa saying it at the beginning of the war, now Prime Minister Netanyahu who was in the Situation Room during this war said it himself. I wanted to see what members of Congress thought about this blatant influence campaign by Israel to push us into a disastrous war in Iran. I mean, that, and yah, who's just stating the obvious. That's already been stated. What do you think about the fact that any criticism of Israel, including that saying, hey, they're pushing us into these wars that are against our best interests is called anti Semitic until an Israeli says it and then it's off the hook. I think it's doing a disservice to Jewish, uh, people and particularly Jewish Americans to equate lack of support for Benjamin Netanyahu's war with anti Semitism. I think it's ridiculous. Should probably worry about his own election, his own country, cause I hear he's not in Good shape. Well, what are your thoughts about him saying that? I think that's rude and completely just overstepping boundaries. And the president has smacked him down before on stuff like that

Claims analyzed (2)

  1. verified: In an interview with Israeli TV network Channel 14 this week, Netanyahu told Israeli voters that he had spent “close to 1,000 hours on American television” and used his “intimate knowledge” of U.S. leaders to bring the United States into the war against Iran.
    Multiple news sources confirm that Benjamin Netanyahu made this statement in an interview with Israeli TV network Channel 14 in late August/early September 2026.
  2. mixed: Prime Minister Netanyahu boasted in an interview with Channel 14 that he manipulated President Trump to go to war in Iran, claiming he influenced the president through 1,000 hours on American TV.
    Netanyahu did state he used his time on American television and knowledge of US leaders to influence US policy regarding Iran. However, the term "manipulated President Trump" is an interpretation by the speaker in the video rather than a direct quote from Netanyahu. While some reports suggest Netanyahu played a role in influencing Trump's decisions, Trump himself denied Israel influenced his decision.

Sources consulted (4)

Related verifications

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