PBS’ Judy Woodruff was forced to apologize for comments she made live on air Monday during the network’s coverage of the Democratic National Convention about a now-debunked conversation between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The accusation has real-world implications and is a sneaky way to backhandedly suggest that President Trump may have violated the Logan Act.
Woodruff cited a story “she read in Axios and Reuters” suggesting that President Trump had allegedly been encouraging Prime Minister Netanyahu to delay peace talks until after the U.S. election in the belief that a deal could help Harris’ campaign.
During the live PBS roundtable, 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.”
“Who knows whether that will come about or not, but I have to think that the Harris campaign would like for President Biden to do what presidents do, which is work on that one,” she added.
By Monday night, when she floated the false story, the rumors she cited had already been debunked for four days.
Both Axios and Reuters updated their original stories, within 24 hours of publishing, acknowledging both sides deny the conversation ever occurred.
As soon as Woodruff made the false claim, calls for her to provide sources flooded in.
Newsmax’s Greta Van Susteren called Woodruff out, saying, “My former colleague @JudyWoodruff knows better than to make such an electrifying statement about Trump and Netanyahu and not source…”
“if it is true, then just source it…we can all deal w/ the truth..not to source is just gossip and not journalism..it is national enquirer.”
My former colleague @JudyWoodruff knows better than to make such an electrifying statement about Trump and Netanyahu and not source…if it is true, then just source it…we can all deal w/ the truth..not to source is just gossip and not journalism..it is national enquirer https://t.co/qcWhkHOeUu
— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) August 21, 2024
Unable to provide any sources, Woodruff was forced to apologize and shared her apology on X.
“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. This was a mistake and I apologize for 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
Notice that EVERY mistake you make always is to the political advantage of the left. Those aren’t what we call mistakes. https://t.co/Xr7gMG8gE8
— Chris Barron (@ChrisRBarron) August 21, 2024
You could’ve shortened that up and just say “I lied.” https://t.co/WlGQhSyj5c
— Catturd (@catturd2) August 22, 2024
The post PBS’ Judy Woodruff Forced to Apologize for Peddling False Story to Live Audience About President Trump and Israeli Peace Talks appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
