Norah O'Donnell interviews Saudi prince for “60 Minutes”

“CBS This Morning” co-host and “60 Minutes” contributing correspondent Norah O’Donnell is back from spending a week in Saudi Arabia, where she interviewed the country’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. At 32 years old, the crown prince is one of the most powerful leaders in the Middle East.

CBS News

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter and a key ally of the United States, is undergoing far-reaching political, social and economic changes. The crown prince, who is also the Sunni Muslim kingdom’s deputy prime minister and defense minister, took bold action in November when he detained more than 200 princes, billionaires and prominent Saudi citizens at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh as part of a reform push. He also helped institute sweeping changes for women, including allowing them the right to drive for the first time in the kingdom’s history.     

O’Donnell’s “60 Minutes” conversation with the heir to the Saudi throne will be his first U.S. television interview. The last time a Saudi leader gave an interview to a U.S. network was in 2005.

Not only did O’Donnell speak to the crown prince about his relations with the U.S., but she also asked about the country’s controversial role in the civil war in Yemen, as well as Iran, Saudi Arabia’s chief rival in the area. The crown prince also spoke about what happened during his anti-corruption crackdown in November.

Watch O’Donnell’s “60 Minutes” report Sunday, March 18, 2018, two days before the young Saudi leader is to meet with President Donald Trump.