Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 7 › Conversation 007-094

Nixon phone call with Shultz on Defense Budget and National Security

Wednesday, August 11, 1971 · 8:05 PM–8:08 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Shultz, George P.Conversation007-094 on Tape 7 (tape position 03:21:03–03:23:42)StartWednesday, August 11, 1971 at 8:05 PMEndWednesday, August 11, 1971 at 8:08 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 007-094 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directed George P. Shultz to coordinate with Henry Kissinger and David Packard to finalize a defense budget that maintains national security interests. Additionally, Nixon instructed Shultz to consult exclusively with John Ehrlichman regarding a sensitive, separate initiative while specifically excluding other staff members like Peter Peterson and H.R. Haldeman to ensure strict confidentiality. Nixon emphasized the need for compartmentalization, advising Shultz to keep John Connally uninformed of the broader strategy so he could maintain honest deniability with the press.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello?

Yes, sir.

George?

Yeah.

I just talked to Henry, and I just told him that you and he and Packard should really work on the defense budget thing, so in the morning he'll be prepared to talk to you about these things.

He realizes what the problems are, and you, of course, realize the national security problem involved in terms of we couldn't have gotten where we are without a strong position in it.

We're not going to go anywhere else, but so he knows, you know, so you can talk very frankly with him and work out whatever you can.

Okay?

Okay.

Fine.

Second thing, I think that on the other matter that you must bring Ehrlichman into the game.

Now, what I want you to do tomorrow, you talk to Ehrlichman and just say no.

I don't want you to go further than that.

I don't want you to go to the broader group of Peterson, Flanagan, et al.

You see what I mean?

I haven't talked to Bob Haldeman either.

Forget Haldeman, because he doesn't need to know.

But I'll tell him when I need him.

Let me handle him.

But you tell Erkman what we have in mind.

And as a lawyer, he understands the necessity for confidentiality.

But not beyond that.

See?

That's the way to do it.

You take Ehrlichman into your confidence.

Don't go to Peterson at this point.

I'll bring him in at a proper time, but that's the way it is.

And then you can talk to Connolly, if you will, at the proper time.

That's right.

Educate him, but don't tell him what the game plan is because it's good for him not to know so that he can be very honest with the press when he doesn't know.

You see?

And I'll handle it.

Ron's a good soldier.

He knows what to do.

NARA Description

On August 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz talked on the telephone from 8:05 pm to 8:08 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 007-094 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 7-94

Date: August 11, 1971
Time: 8:05 pm - 8:08 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with George P. Shultz.

     Budget
         -The President's talk with Henry A. Kissinger
              -Kissinger, Shultz and David Packard
                    -Defense
                          -National security

     Economy (?)
         -John D. Ehrlichman
              -Peter G. Peterson
              -Peter M. Flanigan
              -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
              -John B. Connally
              -Ronald L. Ziegler
                    -The People's Republic of China [PRC]

Also recorded on August 12, 1971

007-093 8:04 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:04 pm.
007-095 8:09 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 8:09 pm to 8:20 pm.
007-096 8:20 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:20 pm and 8:24 pm.
007-097 8:24 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald W. Reagan talked on the telephone from 8:24 pm to 8:28 pm.
007-098 8:28 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:28 pm and 8:36 pm.
007-099 8:36 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Hobart D. Lewis talked on the telephone from 8:36 pm to 8:40 pm.
007-100 8:43 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:43 pm.
007-101 8:43 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:43 pm and 8:46 pm.

All 51 conversations from August 12, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 007-094, August 12, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/007-094 (accessed October 9, 2026).