A little information about the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Hirsch Shlita should put the authenticity issue to rest.
Born and raised in America, he is a talmid of Reb Aharon zt”l.
He is extremely highly respected in the Litvish torah world in EY
He is an advocate for Rav Shteinman Shlita’s leadership.
As a native English speaker, he comfortably conveys the Eretz Yisrael situation to the Americans. As an aside, it is embarrassing that he even needs an introduction, after all, he is the RY of Yeshivas Slabodka in Bnei Brak.
After all this, it is clear to me that he was speaking to a somewhat skeptical audience and purposely toned down his rhetoric. What is said in Litvish yeshivas in Israel regarding secular studies is far more uncompromising than the speech above.
Anyone who has an issue with the message the RY conveyed is either unfamiliar with the yeshivishe world in EY, not a part of this world, or is living in denial as to what da’as torah in EY says.