John N. Irwin II
During the Nixon White House taping period, John N. Irwin, II served as a high-level diplomat. He began as Under Secretary of State in September 1970 and continued in that role until July 1972. At that point, his title changed to Deputy Secretary of State, a position he held until February 1973, effectively becoming the first person to hold that office. Shortly after, in March 1973, he transitioned to become the U.S. Ambassador to France, a post he held for the remainder of the Nixon administration.
When Irwin is on the tapes
What Irwin talks about on the tapes
Foreign Policy 3Vietnam War 2US Foreign Policy 2State Department 2Soviet Union 2Press relations 2NATO 2National Security 2International Relations 2Vietnamization 1US-Soviet Relations 1SALT 1
Conversations (19)
President Nixon met with his national security team, including Vice President Agnew, Henry Kissinger, and William Rogers, to review the status of ongoing military operations in Southeast Asia and the complex diplomatic situation in the Middle East. Military leadership provided a detailed briefing on Operation Lam Son 719 and related efforts to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail, emphasizing that while the fighting is intense, the operations are effectively disrupting enemy logistics and protecting American withdrawal interests. The discussion subsequently shifted to the Middle East, where the President expressed frustration over Israel's reluctance to offer a concrete negotiating position despite Egypt's concessions. Nixon concluded by stressing the importance of maintaining a firm stance, noting that while the U.S. remains a reliable ally, it will not offer unconditional support without a reciprocal commitment to a serious peace process.
On April 13, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and members of the Cabinet, including John N. Irwin, II, Paul A. Volcker, Melvin R. Laird, Richard G. Kleindeinst, Winton M. ("Red") Blount, Hollis M. Dole, Clifford M. Hardin, Maurice H. Stans, James D. Hodgson, John G. Veneman, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, David M. Kennedy, George P. Shultz, Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld, George H. W. Bush, John D. Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor, Ronald L. Ziegler, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Peter M. Flanigan, John C. Whitaker, William E. Kriegsman, Arthur J. Sohmer, Robert J. Brown, Paul W. McCracken, Gen. George A. Lincoln, S. David Freeman, Milton Shaw, Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Chet Holifield, John O. Pastore, Howard H. Baker, Jr., and John B. Anderson, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 8:04 am to 9:07 am. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 053-001 of the White House Tapes.
On April 27, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and members of the Cabinet, including John N. Irwin, II, John B. Connally, Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell, Winton M. ("Red") Blount, Jr., Rogers C. B. Morton, Clifford M. Hardin, James T. Lynn, James D. Hodgson, Elliot L. Richardson, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, George P. Shultz, George H. W. Bush, John D. Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Raymond K. Price, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, Robert J. Brown, Robert J. Dole, Arthur J. Sohmer, Donald E. Johnson, and Malcolm R. Lovell, Jr., met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 8:04 am to 9:43 am. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 055-003 of the White House Tapes.
On May 4, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Spiro T. Agnew, and Republican Congressional leaders, including John N. Irwin, II, John B. Connally, Melvin R. Laird, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Margaret Chase Smith, Gordon L. Allott, Norris Cotton, Milton R. Young, John G. Tower, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, John B. Anderson, John J. Rhodes, Richard H. Poff, Robert C. ("Bob") Wilson, Barber B. Conable, Jr., Robert T. Stafford, H. Allen Smith, Frank T. Bow, William B. Widnall, George P. Shultz, John D. Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor, Kenneth R. BeLieu, Herbert G. Klein, Ronald L. Ziegler, Patrick J. Buchanan, and Bryce N. Harlow, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 8:04 am to 10:04 am. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 055-004 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon met with his cabinet, diplomatic staff, and intelligence officials to declare drug abuse 'public enemy number one' and to coordinate a comprehensive strategy for eradicating the international supply of narcotics. The participants evaluated the effectiveness of current interdiction programs in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, ultimately concluding that despite increased law enforcement efforts, the drug problem was expanding. The President directed his team to prioritize the escalation of foreign pressure, including potential subsidies for poppy crop eradication in Turkey, and announced the centralization of domestic drug policy under a new White House office.
President Nixon met with his National Security Council to discuss strategy for Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction (MBFR) negotiations with the Soviet Union, emphasizing the importance of verification and maintaining allied unity. The President and his advisors examined how to use these potential force reductions to counter domestic congressional pressure for unilateral troop withdrawals. Additionally, the group addressed the ongoing crisis surrounding the publication of the Pentagon Papers, with Nixon expressing a need to strengthen penalties for leaking classified information and to defend the executive branch's ability to maintain secure communications.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger, Adm. Thomas Moorer, and other administration officials to strategize on the escalating India-Pakistan crisis, specifically aiming to prevent an outbreak of war. The discussion emphasized a policy of U.S. neutrality and the importance of avoiding public pressure on Pakistan while encouraging quiet, behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts to reach a political accommodation. Nixon decided to send representatives to explore humanitarian relief options as a pragmatic vehicle to facilitate these sensitive political conversations with Pakistani leader Yahya Khan.
On August 13, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and members of the National Security Council, including Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, John N. Irwin, II, Melvin R. Laird, Gen. George A. Lincoln, John N. Mitchell, Richard M. Helms, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, George P. Shultz, Ronald I. Spiers, David Packard, Henry A. Kissinger, Col. Richard T. Kennedy, Dr. [First name unknown] Weinsmith, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, and Kenneth W. Dam, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 10:08 am and 11:57 am. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 069-001 of the White House Tapes.
On August 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro Agnew, and Cabinet officers, including William P. Rogers, John B. Connally, David Packard, John N. Mitchell, William T. Pecora, Clifford M. Hardin, Maurice H. Stans, James D. Hodgson, John G. Veneman, George W. Romney, David M. Kennedy, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, George P. Shultz, George H. W. Bush, John N. Irwin, II, Charls E. Walker, J. Philip Campbell, James M. Beggs, James T. Lynn, Laurence H. Silberman, Richard C. Van Dusen, Peter G. Peterson, Herbert G. Klein, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Raymond K. Price, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, Robert J. Brown, Paul W. McCracken, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Arthur F. Burns, General George A. Lincoln, Herbert Stein, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Frank J. Shakespeare, and Stephen B. Bull, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 10:10 am to 11:27 am. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 069-002 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon convened a National Security Council meeting with top advisors to discuss the ongoing Vietnam War, focusing on the political stability of South Vietnam, the upcoming presidential election, and North Vietnamese military intentions. Key topics included President Thieu's leadership, potential opposition, communist strategies, the progress of Vietnamization, and the implications of US troop withdrawals. Decisions were made to continue supporting Thieu and to manage public and congressional expectations regarding troop movements and future announcements.
President Nixon, Vice President Agnew, and members of his Cabinet met to coordinate a unified administration strategy ahead of critical International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings and ongoing global trade negotiations. The discussion emphasized the necessity of maintaining the recently imposed 10% import surcharge and a firm bargaining stance to address the nation's economic balance of payments and reshape the international monetary system. Nixon and his advisors agreed that while foreign partners would likely criticize U.S. policy, maintaining domestic political support and correcting long-standing trade imbalances remained the administration's primary objective.
On November 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and members of the National Security Council, including Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, William P. Rogers, Melvin R. Laird, Gen. George A. Lincoln, John N. Mitchell, John N. Irwin, II, Richard M. Helms, [Name withdrawn], Gen. John D. Ryan, Ronald I. Spiers, Gerard C. Smith, Philip J. Farley, Spurgeon M. Keeny, Jr., John J. McCloy, Gen. Royal B. Allison, J. Graham Parsons, Paul H. Nitze, Col. Richard T. Kennedy, Dr. K. Wayne Smith, Helmut ("Hal") Sonnenfedlt, Henry A. Kissinger, Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Gardiner L. Tucker, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 5:03 pm and 11:59 pm. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 082-002 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon and National Security Council members convened to discuss the upcoming NATO ministerial meetings in Brussels and preparations for a European Security Conference. Key topics included the complexities of Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions (MBFR), with analysis of various reduction scenarios and their impact on NATO security, and the differing allied approaches to the European Security Conference agenda and procedures. Decisions were made to pursue a dilatory strategy regarding the conference preparations, emphasizing the need for the Berlin Agreement's final protocol to be signed before advancing, and to present a unified NATO position on MBFR, prioritizing security considerations over political expediency.
President Nixon met with senior administration officials, including Henry Kissinger, Richard Helms, and Admiral Thomas Moorer, to discuss urgent foreign policy concerns regarding the escalating India-Pakistan conflict and the geopolitical maneuvering of the Soviet Union. The participants evaluated the risks posed by Soviet involvement in the region and the potential for broader international instability. The meeting served to align the administration's strategic stance on these pressing global security challenges.
President Nixon called Deputy Secretary of State John N. Irwin, II to commend his skillful handling of a critical Washington Star article by George Sherman. Nixon characterized the journalist's report as a deliberate attempt to create discord between the White House and the State Department, a tactic he compared to past efforts against John Foster Dulles. The President praised Irwin's affirmative response to the press, reinforcing their unified stance against media efforts to stir internal departmental conflict.
President Nixon held a brief meeting with Deputy Secretary of State John N. Irwin, II to commend his handling of a recent public statement. Nixon praised Irwin’s professional conduct and ability to manage departmental criticism and internal gossip. The conversation served primarily as a brief expression of presidential support for Irwin's performance regarding sensitive State Department communications.
President Nixon and members of the National Security Council met to evaluate strategic options for the ongoing Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), focusing on ABM site deployments and the potential inclusion of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Nixon emphasized the political necessity of securing an agreement that prevents Soviet strategic superiority, while participants debated the relative merits of "hard-site" defense versus current safeguard proposals and the impact of these negotiations on Congressional support. The discussion underscored a shared concern regarding the erosion of U.S. bargaining leverage and established a firm directive to pursue an agreement based on the principle of strategic equivalency.
On May 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Cabinet officers and staffers, including John N. Irwin, II, John B. Connally, [David] Kenneth Rush, Richard G. Kleindienst, Rogers C. B. Morton, Earl L. Butz, Peter G. Peterson, James D. Hodgson, Elliot L. Richardson, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, George P. Shultz, Donald H. Rumsfeld, George H. W. Bush, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Peter M. Flanigan, Clark MacGregor, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., John A. Scali, Herbert G. Klein, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, Charles W. Colson, Frederic V. Malek, Robert J. Brown, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Ezra Solomon, and Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 11:03 am and 11:59 pm. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 101-009 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon met with departing U.S. Ambassador to France John N. Irwin II and General Brent Scowcroft to discuss Irwin's mission and the strategic importance of U.S.-French relations. Nixon emphasized his desire for close personal and political cooperation with French President Georges Pompidou, particularly regarding East-West relations, global economic stability, and the inclusion of Japan in international consultations. The President underscored his commitment to strengthening alliances following breakthroughs with the USSR and China, tasking Irwin with conveying high-level American respect for French leadership and intellect.