Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 40 › Conversation 040-037

Nixon phone call with Rebozo on Watergate and Howard Hughes

Tuesday, June 12, 1973 · 5:27 PM–5:30 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rebozo, Charles G. ("Bebe")Conversation040-037 on Tape 40StartTuesday, June 12, 1973 at 5:27 PMEndTuesday, June 12, 1973 at 5:30 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 040-037 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Bebe Rebozo discuss the ongoing management of a sensitive Howard Hughes financial contribution in the context of the Watergate investigation. Rebozo reports on his coordination with attorney Kenneth Gemmill, drawing comparisons to a 1960 case involving Ted Sorensen to justify their legal strategy. They finalize the plan to return the funds to the donor, with Rebozo expressing confidence that the transaction will be resolved without further complications.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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on the line hello hello president i tried to reach you but you were on the airplane but uh yes uh give me a just a quick run down your home yes i got in the pool no sir okay i caught a cold up there oh that's too bad i got it all set up and uh this man up in philly said it was no need for me to stay and dick was going to see him
So he's coming in from Dayton, and he's going to work everything out and contact me.
So I think that it looks okay.
Talking with Bill, Bill had done some research on it, and there was a previous case in 1960, a similar one, where Ted Sorensen intervened and got the thing.
Oh.
Yeah.
It was the case that was publicized.
He found out on his own.
Yeah.
It was very much the same.
Yeah.
And then Gamble told me also that there was one case where that he had handled more than that, that also there was an arrangement made.
I'm very impressed with him.
Yeah.
Very, very impressed.
Well, the procedure is to...
is to return the thing to the fellow out there, huh?
Yes, sir.
And he's willing to do it?
Well, he's going to talk to us all day about it, yes.
Right.
In the afternoon.
Right.
I've got a call in for him now to see if he can do it yet.
Right.
And it will be all right, Tony.
I think it looks pretty good.
And then, I see.
Yeah.
What is the, what will then he do?
Will he go down to Washington?
Well, I don't know.
I don't know.
The important thing is he seems to share the same feeling that identifying the subject matter itself.
Yeah, and then have it transferred.
That's right.
That's right.
He says that's the important thing.
That's right.
I'm sure it will be taken care of.
Mm-hmm.
Yes, sir.
Well, be sure your friend out there will be acceptable to the transfer.
No problem.
He will, won't he?
I'm sure.
He's just sure of that, yes.
That's right.
Yes, sir.
Whatever happens.
Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
Well, good.
I just want you to worry about it.
No, I'm not worried about it.
I'm sure it's going to be fine.
I wouldn't come back here if I was that worried about it.
I'd have hung right in.
All right.
All right.
All right.
Good.
You coming down Friday?
I think so.
Good.
Very good.
All right, sir.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On June 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone from 5:27 pm to 5:30 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 040-037 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 40-37

Date: June 12, 1973
Time: 5:27 pm and 5:30 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo.

[See also Conversation No. 938-10A]

     Rebozo’s location

     Watergate
          -Hughes contribution
               -Kenneth Wilfred Gemmill
                     -Forthcoming meeting with Dick [Surname unknown] from Dayton
               -Similar case in 1960
                     -Gemmill
                     -Ted Sorenson’s role
               -Similar case
                     -Gemmill’s conversation with Rebozo
               -Forthcoming handling
                     -Return of money
                     -Unknown man
                           -Schedule
                                             -35-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

     President’s schedule

Also recorded on June 12, 1973

  • 040-036 4:52 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:52 pm and 5:27 pm.
  • 938-006 4:52 PM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:52 pm to 5:27 pm.
  • 040-038 5:30 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:30 pm and 8:19 pm.
  • 444-023 5:30 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:30 pm and 8:19 pm.
  • 938-011 5:38 PM · 9 sec — Rose Mary Woods and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:38 pm and 5:56 pm.
  • 938-013 5:38 PM · 32 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:38 pm and 5:56 pm.
  • 938-012 5:56 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Rose Mary Woods, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:56 pm and 6:03 pm.
  • 938-014 6:00 PM · 25 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:00 pm and 6:03 pm.

All 70 conversations from June 12, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 040-037, June 12, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/040-037 (accessed October 9, 2026).