Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 5 › Conversation 005-068
Nixon phone call with Ehrlichman on Pentagon Papers and The New York Times
Monday, June 14, 1971 · 7:13 PM–7:15 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss the administration's potential legal response to The New York Times' publication of the Pentagon Papers. Attorney General John Mitchell seeks authorization to serve notice to the newspaper to prevent the waiver of future prosecution rights, though Nixon expresses a stronger preference for identifying and prosecuting the source of the leak. Ultimately, the President agrees to speak directly with Mitchell to evaluate the political ramifications and determine the administration's legal strategy.
- Pentagon Papers
- The New York Times
- Espionage
- Executive Privilege
- Legal Prosecution
- Leaks
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On June 14, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 7:13 pm to 7:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 005-068 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 5-68
Date: June 14, 1971
Time: 7:13 pm - 7:15 pm
Location: White House Telephone
John D. Ehrlichman talked with the President.
[See Conversation No. 258-7]
New York Times and Pentagon Papers
-Possible legal action by administration
-John N. Mitchell's calls to Ehrlichman
-Notice to New York Times
-Effect on Congressional action
-Possible prosecution of source for classified documents
-Possible legal action by government against New York Times
-Notice to Times
-Congressional reactionAlso recorded on June 14, 1971
- 519-018 7:07 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 7:07 pm and 11:59 pm.
- 258-007 7:13 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:13 pm to 7:15 pm.
- 005-069 7:15 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:15 pm and 7:19 pm.
- 258-008 7:15 PM · 2 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 7:15 pm and 7:19 pm.
- 258-009 7:15 PM · 3 sec — 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 7:15 pm and 7:19 pm.
- 005-070 7:19 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John N. Mitchell, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:19 pm to 7:22 pm.
- 258-010 7:19 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John N. Mitchell, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:19 pm and 7:37 pm.
- 005-071 7:22 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:22 pm and 7:37 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 005-068, June 14, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/005-068 (accessed October 18, 2026).