James D. ("Don") Hughes served as the Armed Forces Aide (later Military Assistant) to President Richard Nixon from January 1969 to February 1972, managing military support, logistics, and emergency planning for the White House. During the taping period, he transitioned from his White House role to active command, becoming Vice Commander of the 12th Air Force in February 1972. He subsequently deployed to Southeast Asia, serving as Deputy Commander of the 7th/13th Air Force (September 1972 – March 1973), Commander of Detachment 7, 13th Air Force (March – April 1973), and Deputy Commander of the 7th Air Force (April – December 1973). Hughes concluded the Nixon era as Commander of the 9th Air Force, a position he held from December 1973 through the end of the administration.
On February 27, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, Alexander P. Butterfield, Leonard Garment, Robert H. Finch, Manolo Sanchez, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:58 am to 2:58 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 459-004 of the White House Tapes.
On March 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Aldo Massarini, Paul Moniez, Jacques Bullet, Kenneth G. Wickham, Earl E. Anderson, Maocyr Paiva, Willi Rieke, Jae Chul Lee, William G. McNamara, Raoul Mollet, James D. ("Don") Hughes, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:38 am to 11:43 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 471-015 of the White House Tapes.
On March 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Craig S. Campbell, Charles R. Larson, James D. ("Don") Hughes, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:51 am to 11:54 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 471-018 of the White House Tapes.
On April 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Melvin R. Laird, William P. Rogers, Henry A. Kissinger, Ronald L. Ziegler, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:16 pm to 2:00 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 246-007 of the White House Tapes.
On April 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Clifford M. Hardin, Gen. George A. Lincoln, Peter M. Flanigan, White House photographer, White House operator, John B. Connally, James D. ("Don") Hughes, George H. Mahon, and Clark MacGregor met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:35 pm to 4:10 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 483-017 of the White House Tapes.
On April 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone from 3:54 pm to 3:55 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 002-010 of the White House Tapes.
On April 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Melvin R. Laird, James E. Johnson, James D. ("Don") Hughes, John H. Chafee, Frederic V. Malek, Ronald L. Ziegler, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:42 am to 11:59 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 491-003 of the White House Tapes.
On May 14, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, James D. ("Don") Hughes, Jacob A. Preus, Stephen B. Bull, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:30 am to 11:50 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 499-016 of the White House Tapes.
On June 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone from 2:46 pm to 2:47 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 004-056 of the White House Tapes.
On June 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:46 pm to 2:47 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 255-015 of the White House Tapes.
On July 2, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield [?], Eleuterio Mendozo, Mrs. Eleuterio Mendozo, Elizabeth Mendozo, and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:36 am to 11:39 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 535-010 of the White House Tapes.
On July 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Stanley H. Bear, Mrs. Stanley H. Bear, Susan Bear, Vickie Bear, Nancy Bear, David Bear, and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:31 pm to 12:35 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 542-007 of the White House Tapes.
On July 27, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, James D. ("Don") Hughes, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:05 am and 10:35 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 547-003 of the White House Tapes.
On September 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:16 pm to 12:17 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 275-002 of the White House Tapes.
On September 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, James D. ("Don") Hughes, Jo Ann Redman, Bruce Bennett, Mrs. Bruce Bennett, Anthony Radd, Naomi Redman, Lt. Col. Harland E. Pridelle, Lt. Col. James H. Gibbons, Lt. Col. John Finlay, Maj. Maj. Frederick W. Swift, Maj. Charles Freed, SGM Richard J. McCoy, Polly Thompson, Mary Burson, Walter R. Tkach, J. Paul Benson, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:19 pm to 12:25 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 569-005 of the White House Tapes.
On October 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, James D. ("Don") Hughes, and Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:00 pm to 1:06 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 607-020 of the White House Tapes.
On November 2, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:31 pm to 12:33 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 611-010 of the White House Tapes.
On November 17, 1971, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 4:00 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 014-157 of the White House Tapes.
On November 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), Bruce J. Kehrli, White House operator, and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:53 pm to 4:00 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 293-009 of the White House Tapes.
On December 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Mildred C. Bailey, Lilliam Dunlap, Jeanne M. Holm, Anna M. Hays, Elizabeth P. Hoisington, Roger T. Kelley, James D. ("Don") Hughes, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:08 pm to 3:15 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 630-012 of the White House Tapes.
On December 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:01 pm to 12:03 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 635-011 of the White House Tapes.
On December 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, John H. Chafee, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., Gen. John D. Ryan, Gen. William Westmoreland, Gen. Leonard F. Chapman, Mrs. Leonard F. Chapman, R. D. Crutcher, SGM Joseph Dailey, John W. Warner, Lt. Gen. Lewis J. Fields, Mrs. Lewis J. Fields, Gen. Raymond G. Davis, Mrs. Raymond G. Davis, Gen. William J. VanRyzin, Gen. John Chaisson, Mrs. John Chaisson, Debbie Terry, Richard Schultz, Col. Gerald Thomas, C. J. Wages, Joseph Felter, GySgt. William Weigh, George P. Shultz, Vernon C. Coffey, Jr., and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:03 pm to 12:15 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 635-012 of the White House Tapes.
On December 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone from 1:48 pm to 1:49 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-007 of the White House Tapes.
On December 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:48 pm to 1:49 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 309-006 of the White House Tapes.
On December 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone from 1:50 pm to 1:51 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-009 of the White House Tapes.
On December 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:50 pm to 1:51 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 309-008 of the White House Tapes.
On December 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone from 11:21 am to 11:22 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-084 of the White House Tapes.
On January 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, White House operator, James D. ("Don") Hughes, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:34 pm to 3:41 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 314-001 of the White House Tapes.
On January 13, 1972, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone at 2:45 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 018-078 of the White House Tapes.
On January 13, 1972, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:47 pm and 3:09 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 018-082 of the White House Tapes.
On January 13, 1972, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:47 pm and 3:09 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 018-081 of the White House Tapes.
On January 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, James D. ("Don") Hughes, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 7:32 am and 9:25 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 829-001 of the White House Tapes.
On April 30, 1973, White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, President Richard M. Nixon, and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone from 11:41 pm to 11:42 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-069 of the White House Tapes.