Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 3 › Conversation 003-143
Sidley & Butterfield on J. Edgar Hoover and Henry Kissinger
Wednesday, May 26, 1971 · 6:46 PM–6:50 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min
AI Summary
Alexander P. Butterfield coordinates communication between the White House switchboard and his staff regarding J. Edgar Hoover’s attempt to reach the President, who is currently occupied on a call with Henry Kissinger. Additionally, Butterfield provides specific administrative instructions to his secretary, Toni Sidley, regarding the secure preparation and delivery of a confidential report for John Ehrlichman. These instructions emphasize the need for specialized envelope handling to maintain the sensitivity of the document.
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Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On May 26, 1971, Alexander P. Butterfield, White House operator, and Toni Sidley talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:46 pm and 6:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-143 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 003-143
Date: May 26, 1971
Time: Unknown between 6:46 pm and 6:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone
Alexander P. Butterfield talked with the White House operator.
Call to secretary, Toni Sidley
President's calls
-Henry A. Kissinger
-J. Edgar Hoover
Butterfield
-Location
-Meetings with President
-Hoover call
-Call to secretary
Butterfield talked with Sidley at an unknown time between 6:46 pm and 6:50 pm.
A memo to H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
-Envelope
-CopyAlso recorded on May 26, 1971
- 003-142 6:42 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 6:42 pm to 6:46 pm.
- 253-031 6:42 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:42 pm to 6:46 pm.
- 253-032 6:46 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:46 pm and 6:57 pm.
- 003-144 6:50 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:50 pm and 6:58 pm.
- 253-033 6:50 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:50 pm and 6:58 pm.
- 253-034 6:50 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:50 pm and 6:58 pm.
- 003-145 6:58 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Edgar Hoover talked on the telephone from 6:58 pm to 7:01 pm.
- 253-035 6:58 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Edgar Hoover met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:58 pm to 7:01 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 003-143, May 26, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/003-143 (accessed October 12, 2026).