Newsletters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that his government views social media platforms as a “weapon” to secure support among right-wing audiences in the United States, identifying TikTok and X as key targets.
Speaking at a meeting with U.S. influencers at Israel’s Consulate General in New York, Netanyahu described social media as “the most important weapon … to secure our base in the U.S.,” according to a video shared on influencer Debra Lea’s account on X.
Netanyahu called TikTok “the most important purchase going on right now,” suggesting its control could be “consequential.” He also stressed the importance of X, formerly Twitter, adding: “We have to talk to Elon (Musk). He’s not an enemy, he’s a friend.”
By signaling that Israel’s attention would shift to X after TikTok, Netanyahu argued that influence over both platforms would yield significant gains. “If we can get TikTok and X, we’ll get a lot,” he said.
Netanyahu’s remarks came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order certifying that a deal transferring TikTok’s U.S. operations to an American consortium meets national security requirements.
The consortium is expected to include Oracle, Michael Dell, Rupert Murdoch and other investors. Oracle, led by founder Larry Ellison — a vocal supporter of Israel — will play a major role in managing TikTok’s U.S. operations. The executive order stated that “all U.S. user data will be stored in a trusted, secret, and specially designed cloud environment operated by Oracle.”
The deal would reduce Chinese ownership of TikTok’s U.S. arm to 20%. At a signing ceremony at the White House, Trump said the U.S. version of the app would be run by “highly sophisticated” investors, insisting it would not follow any political line.
Beijing responded Friday by calling for “open, fair” treatment, as Washington continues efforts to wrest TikTok from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The app has more than 170 million users in the United States, nearly half the population.
Ellison’s close ties to Israel have fueled concerns that the company’s role in TikTok could be used to advance Israeli government interests. Netanyahu’s comments reinforced those concerns, as he openly linked control of social media to Israel’s political strategies in the United States.
The remarks came as Israel faces growing international isolation over its military campaign in Gaza. Nearly 65,600 Palestinians — most of them women and children — have been killed since October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities.
On Friday, Netanyahu addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York, but spoke to a largely empty hall after many delegations walked out in protest over Israel’s actions in Gaza, now nearing its third year.
1 min read
2 min read
