PBS host apologizes for reporting Trump pressed Netanyahu to abandon hostage deal: 'This was a mistake'

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.

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. 

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PBS anchor Judy Woodruff apologized for an erroneous report about a conversation between former President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu. (Bonnie Biess / Stringer)

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."

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."

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 ceasefire deal that the outlet claimed happened last Wednesday. 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. 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. 

"I did encourage him to get this over with. You want to get it over with fast. Have victory, get your victory, and get it over with. It has to stop, the killing has to stop," he said.

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) as they pose for a photo during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago estate, in Palm Beach, Florida, United States on July 26, 2024.  (Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO) / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., had ripped Woodruff earlier on Wednesday for pushing the story.

"Judy Woodruff … needs to retract her statement – if she has any, I don’t know, integrity as a journalist – that Donald Trump is actively working with Bibi Netanyahu to somehow delay or tank a hostage deal for political reasons," he said at Trump Tower in Chicago. "That is false, it’s ridiculous, and by the way, Netanyahu – don’t take it from me or the campaign – Netanyahu’s office has absolutely denied it."

PBS did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Gabriel Hays is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.