"PBS NewsHour" anchor Judy Woodruff apologized Wednesday for reporting a story about former President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that both leaders have staunchly denied.
Fox News Digital reports Woodruff posted an apology to X expressing regret for reporting this week that in a phone call, Trump urged Netanyahu to delay a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas until after the 2024 presidential election to benefit him politically.
"This was a mistake and I apologize for it," Woodruff wrote.
She posted, "I want to clarify my remarks on the PBS News special on Monday night about the ongoing cease fire talks in the Middle East. As I said, this was not based on my original reporting; I was referring to reports I had read, in Axios and Reuters, about former President Trump having spoken to the Israeli Prime Minister. In the live TV moment, I repeated the story because I hadn't seen later reporting that both sides denied it."
I want to clarify my remarks on the PBS News special on Monday night about the ongoing cease fire talks in the Middle East. As I said, this was not based on my original reporting; I was referring to reports I had read, in Axios and Reuters, about former President Trump having…
— Judy Woodruff (@JudyWoodruff) August 21, 2024
During a Monday night segment of the PBS News program, Woodruff stated, "The reporting is that former President Trump is on the phone with the Prime Minister of Israel, urging him not to cut a deal right now, because it’s believed that would help the Harris campaign."
PBS’s Judy Woodruff says Trump is interfering with US ceasefire efforts:
— Dylan Williams (@dylanotes) August 20, 2024
“The reporting is that former President Trump is on the phone with the PM of Israel urging him not to cut a deal right now because it’s believed that would help the Harris campaign.”pic.twitter.com/vG4G0J7P0a
However, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office denounced Woodruff’s reporting, telling The Jerusalem Post this week that the anchor pushed "a complete lie."
Netanyahu’s office also released a statement denying Axios’ report about a phone call between the prime minister and Trump about the Gaza hostage and cease-fire deal that the outlet claimed happened on Aug. 14. Axios updated the story last week to reflect Netanyahu's denial.
Trump denied that the phone call happened, saying the last time he spoke to Netanyahu was in July when the prime minister visited his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. During a press conference last week in New Jersey, Trump relayed what he told Netanyahu during that Florida meeting about Israel’s war in Gaza.
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