Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 38 › Conversation 038-151

Nixon phone call with Ehrlichman on Watergate scandal and John Dean

Wednesday, April 25, 1973 · 7:17 PM–7:19 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation038-151 on Tape 38StartWednesday, April 25, 1973 at 7:17 PMEndWednesday, April 25, 1973 at 7:19 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 038-151 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss the handling of sensitive materials related to the Watergate investigation and the break-in at the office of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist. The two officials debate the tactical implications of disclosing information regarding the involvement of the Watergate burglars in the psychiatrist's office, specifically weighing whether to withhold or voluntarily turn over documentation to federal prosecutors. Nixon ultimately concludes that disclosure is inevitable given the current climate, leading them to prioritize managing the fallout of these revelations.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Yeah.
I have Mr. Ehrlichman now, sir.
Yeah.
I have Mr. Ehrlichman now.
Yeah, yeah.
You are.
Thank you.
Hello, John.
Yes, sir.
I, uh, I had just talked to Bob and told him he could call you if you would mind to call me back.
Oh, fine.
Okay.
But, uh, I mean, Mr. Feldman had a talk with Peterson.
All right.
I'll get it from him then.
Yeah.
And, uh, the only thing that is particularly relevant is that it's a paper which they brought in here which, uh,
Peterson about it and he said that he felt very strongly as to that means people were trying to blackmail them with that and that they therefore felt it was very important that they get that because I had assured Peterson that of course it had never never been conveyed to the prosecution that they at least get it to the prosecutor was aware of the fact that it first their investigations you see what I mean is that Dean
I don't think I had any choice in the matter.
I mean, I could have said, kill it.
Don't pass it on.
They passed it on to Matt Byrne.
Pass it on to the judge.
I think that's right.
And what is likely to happen is that, I don't know,
Mike called Dean.
And then Dean, well, I have to say what it was.
So Watergate muggers involved into the psychiatrist's office.
Let me say, though, on that point, I think it was with that information and of all those prosecutors over there already, it's going to come out anyway, John.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
So it's...
Otherwise, I cover the other items very strongly with him.
I'll talk to you about that.

NARA Description

On April 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 7:17 pm to 7:19 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-151 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 38-151

Date: April 25, 1973
Time: 7:17 pm - 7:19 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

[See also Conversation No. 430-31]

[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was initially prepared for the
Watergate Special Prosecution Force (WSPF) and can be found in Record Group (RG) 460, Box
175, pages 1-3. The Nixon Presidential Materials Staff reviewed the transcript and made
changes as necessary. This transcript has been reviewed under the provisions of the Presidential
Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974 (PRMPA). The National Archives does not
guarantee its accuracy.]

[Begin transcribed portion]

[End transcribed portion]

Also recorded on April 26, 1973

  • 430-031 7:17 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:17 pm to 7:19 pm.
  • 038-152 7:19 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:19 pm and 7:25 pm.
  • 430-032 7:19 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:19 pm and 7:22 pm.
  • 038-153 7:22 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone from 7:22 pm to 7:25 pm.
  • 430-033 7:22 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:22 pm to 7:25 pm.
  • 038-154 7:25 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:25 pm.
  • 038-155 7:25 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 7:25 pm to 7:39 pm.
  • 430-034 7:25 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 7:25 pm.

All 73 conversations from April 26, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 038-151, April 26, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-151 (accessed October 21, 2026).