Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 38 › Conversation 038-050

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

Sunday, April 15, 1973 · 5:17 PM ET · White House Telephone · 24 sec

ParticipantsWhite House operator; Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation038-050 on Tape 38StartSunday, April 15, 1973 at 5:17 PMEndSunday, April 15, 1973 at 5:17 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 038-050 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to determine the current status and location of John D. Ehrlichman. Upon learning that Ehrlichman was currently in transit, the President opted to forgo an immediate connection. Nixon decided to delay the contact, stating he would reach out to Ehrlichman later that evening instead.

Audio

Download MP3 · 0.7 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Hello?
Well, Mr. President, Mr. Ehrlichman is on his way home.
He's in the car.
Should I get him there or leave where when he arrives?
No, no, don't bother with that.
I'll call him later tonight.
All right.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On April 15, 1973, White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 5:17 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-050 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 38-50

Date: April 15, 1973
Time: 5:17 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

     John D. Ehrlichman’s location
                                               -30-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on April 15, 1973

  • 038-043 3:27 PM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:27 pm to 3:44 pm.
  • 038-044 3:44 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:44 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 038-045 3:48 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone from 3:48 pm to 3:49 pm.
  • 038-046 3:50 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:50 pm.
  • 038-047 4:00 PM · 20 sec — Henry E. Petersen, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 5:15 pm.
  • 038-048 4:00 PM · 7 min — Henry E. Petersen, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles N. Shaffer, and Earl J. Silbert talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 5:15 pm.
  • 038-049 4:00 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 5:15 pm.
  • 428-036 6:45 PM · 52 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:45 pm and 8:11 pm.

All 20 conversations from April 15, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 038-050, April 15, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-050 (accessed October 12, 2026).