Throughout her 50-year career in journalism, Stahl has covered such iconic moments in American history as the Watergate scandal in 1972, the impeachment hearings of President Nixon in 1974, the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, and the 1991 Gulf War. She reported on the U.S./Russian summit meetings and the economic summits of the industrialized countries, as well as the national political conventions and election nights throughout her career. Throughout the 21st century, she has investigated the enhanced interrogation techniques against Al Qaeda during the Iraq War, the cruelty Saddam Hussein inflicted on Iraqi children, as well as examining the practices within Guantánamo Bay and operatives. She also has reported on tensions within the Middle East and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. In 2020, she gained much media attention for her interview with President Donald Trump in which he stopped the interview short and walked out due to his objections to her warning him about "tough questions" which he believed was "inappropriate".