Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 5 › Conversation 005-069
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Pentagon Papers
Monday, June 14, 1971 · 7:15 PM–7:19 PM ET · White House Telephone · 6 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate an urgent call to Attorney General John Mitchell regarding the New York Times' recent publication of the Pentagon Papers. This discussion initiated high-level deliberations on potential legal action against the newspaper and the development of a strategy to address the unauthorized release of classified documents. The conversation set the stage for subsequent consultations involving Henry Kissinger, Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, and former President Lyndon B. Johnson concerning the investigation into Daniel Ellsberg.
- Pentagon Papers
- John Mitchell
- Daniel Ellsberg
- Legal action
- The New York Times
- Classified information
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On June 14, 1971, 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. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 005-069 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 5-69
Date: June 14, 1971
Time: Unknown between 7:15 pm and 7:19 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
[See Conversation No. 258-9]
Call to Attorney General John Mitchell
Conversation
Conv. No. 5-69
No.
(cont.)
5-70
Date: June 14, 1971
Time: 7:19 pm - 7:22 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with John N. Mitchell.
[See Conversation No. 258-10]
New York Times publication of Pentagon Papers
-Possible legal action against the Times
-Precedents
-Notice by government
-Melvin R. Laird's opinion
Henry A. Kissinger joined the conversation at an unknown time after 7:19 pm.
-Laird's Congressional testimony, June 14
-Lyndon B. Johnson's opinion
-Walt W. Rostow's conversation with Kissinger
-Investigation
-Vote on McGovern-Hatfield amendment on Vietnam war
-Prime suspect Daniel EllsbergAlso 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.
- 005-068 7:13 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 7:13 pm to 7:15 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.
- 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 005-069, 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/005-069 (accessed October 12, 2026).