PBS Judy Woodruff falsely claims Trump urged Netanyahu to hold off on deal

The statement Woodruff made at the DNC about Trump and Netanyahu was found to be false on two accounts.

 Judy Woodruff speaks at a tribute service for former first lady Rosalynn Carter, at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., November 28, 2023. (photo credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN)
Judy Woodruff speaks at a tribute service for former first lady Rosalynn Carter, at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., November 28, 2023.
(photo credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN)

American PBS journalist Judy Woodruff sparked controversy following a false report at the 2024 Democratic National Convention on Monday where she claimed that former president Donald Trump urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas during a phone conversation in mid-August.

"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 it would help the Harris campaign," said Woodruff initially on Monday.

The statement Woodruff made was found to be false on two accounts. Firstly, the phone call conversation that Woodruff referred to had never taken place and was based on a false report that had circulated on news media outlets Axios and Reuters. 

Additionally, the false report that circulated did not mention that Trump had urged Netanyahu to decline a ceasefire deal. 

Instead, the false Axios report cited two US sources. One source said the reported call was intended to encourage Netanyahu to take the deal but stressed he did not know if this was indeed what the former president told Netanyahu.

 PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu meets with then-US president Donald Trump in the Oval Office, in 2020. The suppression of the Palestinian cause in global politics was largely due to Israeli efforts during the Trump administration, the writer notes. (credit: TOM BRENNER/REUTERS)
PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu meets with then-US president Donald Trump in the Oval Office, in 2020. The suppression of the Palestinian cause in global politics was largely due to Israeli efforts during the Trump administration, the writer notes. (credit: TOM BRENNER/REUTERS)

Woodruff apologizes for her report 

Following the statement she made, Woodruff shared a clarification post on X, formally Twitter, in which she said that the Trump and Netanyahu conversation she was referring to was not based on original reporting but rather on reports from Axios and Reuters. 

"In the live TV moment, I repeated the story because I hadn't seen any later reports that both sides denied it.  This was a mistake, and I apologize for it," the post said.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister's Office categorically rejected the PBS report that claimed Trump may have urged Netanyahu to reject the recent US-advanced hostage deal proposal.