Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 6 › Conversation 006-178

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on John D. Ehrlichman

Wednesday, July 21, 1971 · 4:46 PM–5:14 PM ET · White House Telephone · 7 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation006-178 on Tape 6 (tape position 04:17:50–04:17:56)StartWednesday, July 21, 1971 at 4:46 PMEndWednesday, July 21, 1971 at 5:14 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 006-178 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiates a call to his assistant John D. Ehrlichman, intending to discuss matters involving George P. Shultz. After the operator begins the connection, the President abruptly cancels the request and instructs the operator not to proceed with the call. No substantive policy discussions or decisions occur during this brief administrative exchange.

Audio

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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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, please.
No, no, sorry, I want Ehrlichman.
Mr. Ehrlichman?
Don't bother, don't bother.

NARA Description

On July 21, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:46 pm and 5:14 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 006-178 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 6-178

Date: July 21, 1971
Time: Unknown between 4:46 pm and 5:14 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Call to John D. Ehrlichman
           -George P. Shultz

Also recorded on July 21, 1971

  • 006-177 4:40 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George H. Mahon talked on the telephone from 4:40 pm to 4:46 pm.
  • 006-179 4:46 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:46 pm and 5:14 pm.
  • 541-003 5:04 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:04 pm and 5:07 pm.
  • 541-004 5:04 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:04 pm and 5:07 pm.
  • 541-005 5:07 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:07 pm to 5:15 pm.
  • 006-180 5:14 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:14 pm.
  • 541-006 5:15 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 5:15 pm.
  • 541-007 5:15 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:15 pm and 5:21 pm.

All 37 conversations from July 21, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 006-178, July 21, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/006-178 (accessed October 11, 2026).