Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 38 › Conversation 038-083
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on John W. Dean III
Tuesday, April 17, 1973 · 9:18 AM–9:19 AM ET · White House Telephone · 11 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon initiates a brief telephone call to White House operator to be connected with John W. Dean III. This interaction serves as an administrative bridge to facilitate direct communication with his legal counsel during the intensifying Watergate investigation. No further substantive discussion occurs between the President and the operator.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 April 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:18 am and 9:19 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-083 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 38-83
Date: April 17, 1973
Time: Unknown between 9:18 am and 9:19 am
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
[See also Conversation No. 898-1]
Telephone call to John W. Dean, IIIAlso recorded on April 17, 1973
- 898-001 9:18 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:18 am and 9:19 am.
- 038-084 9:19 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Dean, III talked on the telephone from 9:19 am to 9:25 am.
- 898-002 9:19 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Dean, III met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:19 am to 9:25 am.
- 898-003 9:25 AM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:30 am.
- 898-004 9:30 AM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Leonard Garment met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:30 am to 9:46 am.
- 898-005 9:46 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 9:47 am.
- 898-006 9:47 AM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Rose Mary Woods, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:47 am to 9:59 am.
- 898-007 9:59 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:59 am to 10:00 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 038-083, April 17, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-083 (accessed October 5, 2026).