Lesley Stahl on Interviewing Donald Trump: 'You'd Better Do a Good Story!'
In the course of more than four decades in journalism, Lesley Stahl has interviewed presidents, dictators, film stars, and many other prominent subjects. But little could have prepared her for the surreal experience of interviewing Donald Trump, real estate tycoon and reality television star, in the days after his shocking election as the 45th U.S. president in 2016.
As Stahl recounted to Lulu and Anthony Wang President and CEO Josette Sheeran, the interview process began when Trump invited her to his eponymous office tower for a pre-interview conversation.
"We were lavished with praise — both I was and my boss was. [But] he both praised me and threatened me, by bringing up his interview with Megyn Kelly," Stahl said. "'You'd better do a good story! You know what'll happen!'"
During the conversation, Trump's daughter Ivanka walked in and began conversing with her father about an unrelated subject — an unorthodox practice formed when Trump was a businessman and one that has continued into his presidency.
Trump later told Stahl that he had "the best office in all of New York, the best view in all of New York, and the best executive bathroom in all of New York," she said. "And he took us in it!"
Stahl's 60 Minutes interview with Trump on November 13th, 2016, was the president-elect's first with the national media following his victory on November 8.
Stahl's conversation was Sheeran was conducted at Asia Society as part of the President's Forum, a long-running series of interviews between Asia Society presidents and distinguished guests.
Read our earlier interview with Stahl here. For the complete video from Thursday night's program, please see below.