Sir Trevor McDonald Expresses Regret Over Question to Saddam Hussein
Veteran journalist Sir Trevor McDonald has disclosed that a specific question he asked Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein during their landmark 1990 interview now makes him 'cringe'. The 86-year-old will revisit the ITN broadcast, filmed in a Baghdad palace, for a new ITV series titled 'Reporting History', which launches on Friday on ITVX and YouTube.
The Infamous Opening Question
In the interview, conducted after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, Sir Trevor questioned Hussein on the threat of war and alleged atrocities by Iraqi forces. He admits in the new show that if he could redo the interview today, he would alter his opening question: '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?'
Sir Trevor states: 'It's a particularly biting commentary to somebody like Saddam Hussein ... I still cringe when I listen to it. If I had to do this again, I'd find other words.' He adds that he was surprised by Hussein's demeanour, noting occasional smiles from a man known for oppression and mass killings.
Harrowing Pre-Interview Experience
The new series also features Sir Trevor recounting how he and his team were 'roughed up' and strip-searched en route to the interview. At one point, they were informed they might not be allowed to bring their cameras. He describes the uncertainty, saying the team 'never knew from one moment to another what was going to happen' and that 'unpredictability was the game'.
Historical Context and Reflections
Following the interview, Iraq lost the Gulf War in 1991, but Hussein remained in power until a US-led invasion in 2003. He was executed in 2006 at age 69. Reflecting on Iraq today, Sir Trevor expresses sadness over enduring divisions and questions whether more could have been done post-war to alter the nation's trajectory.
The episode focusing on Sir Trevor's interview with Hussein will be available from Friday on ITVX and YouTube, with an extended audio conversation with News At Ten anchor Tom Bradby also released as a podcast.
