Trevor McDonald revisits his iconic interview with Saddam Hussein
Trevor McDonald, now 86 years old, is set to re-examine his groundbreaking interview with Saddam Hussein, conducted in 1990 after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. This retrospective will be featured in a new ITV series titled “Reporting History,” which will be available on ITVX and YouTube.
The original interview took place in a palace in Baghdad, where McDonald and his team faced significant security measures, including being strip-searched before meeting the Iraqi leader. During this tense encounter, McDonald posed pointed questions to Hussein about the threat of war and the alleged atrocities committed by Iraqi forces. One of his notable questions was, “Mr President, the invasion of a neighbouring country with such calculated force and brutality is a very un-Arab thing to do, isn’t it?”
Reflecting on this moment years later, McDonald expressed regret over his choice of words, stating, “I still cringe when I listen to it. If I had to do this again, I’d find other words.” This sentiment highlights the complexities and challenges journalists face when navigating high-stakes interviews with controversial figures.
Despite the gravity of the situation, McDonald recalled that Hussein displayed a flicker of a smile during their conversation, a reaction he found surprising. “There was a flicker of an occasional smile, I never associated Saddam with smiling,” McDonald noted, emphasizing the unpredictability of the former dictator.
Saddam Hussein remained in power until a US-led invasion in 2003, which ultimately led to his execution in 2006 at the age of 69. The interview with McDonald is often remembered as a significant moment in journalism, capturing the tension and uncertainty of the time.
The episode focusing on this iconic interview will be part of McDonald’s new series, which aims to provide viewers with a deeper understanding of historical events through the lens of journalism. As the series approaches its launch, observers are eager to see how McDonald’s reflections will resonate with contemporary audiences.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the specific release date of the episode, but it is anticipated to draw significant interest given the historical context and McDonald’s esteemed career in journalism.