Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 41 › Conversation 041-003
Nixon phone call with Haig on Watergate scandal and Ervin Committee
Monday, June 18, 1973 · 4:27 PM–4:29 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss strategies to counter negative press and potential political maneuvering by the Ervin Committee regarding the ongoing Watergate investigation. Nixon expresses concern that the committee and the media are timing leaks of John Dean’s testimony to undermine his upcoming Soviet summit. He directs Haig to coordinate with White House staff to aggressively push back against the committee’s narrative and specifically orders an investigation into allegations that Leonard Garment may be leaking information to the Washington Post.
- Watergate scandal
- Ervin Committee
- John W. Dean III
- Media leaks
- Soviet summit
- White House communications strategy
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 June 18, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 4:27 pm to 4:29 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 041-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 41-3
Date: June 18, 1973
Time: 4:27 pm - 4:29 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
[See also Conversation No. 447-5]
Watergate
-Ervin Committee hearings
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. Fred D. Thompson
-John W. Dean, III’s forthcoming statement
-David R. Gergen, Leonard Garment
-Garment
-John Wilson’s view
-Leaks
-Washington Post
-President, Ronald L. Zeigler
-Ervin Committee hearings
-Schedule
-3-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 41-3 (cont’d)
-Forthcoming summit meeting with Soviets
-White House responseAlso recorded on June 18, 1973
- 447-005 4:27 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:27 pm to 4:29 pm.
- 447-006 4:29 PM · 10 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 4:29 pm and 4:30 pm.
- 041-005 4:30 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 4:30 pm to 4:31 pm.
- 447-007 4:30 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:30 pm to 4:31 pm.
- 447-008 4:31 PM · 35 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 4:31 pm and 5:15 pm.
- 447-009 4:31 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:31 pm and 5:15 pm.
- 447-010 4:31 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:31 pm and 5:15 pm.
- 447-011 4:31 PM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr., and Marjorie P. Acker met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:31 pm and 5:45 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 041-003, June 18, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/041-003 (accessed October 9, 2026).