Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-023

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on John W. Dean III and Watergate scandal

Thursday, April 26, 1973 · 7:08 PM–7:09 PM ET · White House Telephone · 29 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation045-023 on Tape 45StartThursday, April 26, 1973 at 7:08 PMEndThursday, April 26, 1973 at 7:09 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 045-023 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to cancel a scheduled call to White House Counsel John Dean. Nixon instructs Ziegler to tell Dean that the matter in question has already been handled, effectively shutting down further communication on the topic. The President emphasizes maintaining a cool demeanor and remaining firm should Dean attempt to follow up on the inquiry.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I just canceled your call to Dean.
Will you do that?
Go to Dean.
Okay.
Cancel it.
Right.
All right.
Okay.
Thank you.
Just say that the matter's been covered.
Thank you.
Okay.
And don't take it back if it comes back.
Oh, John, just an inquiry here, but I've got the answer.
You know what I mean?
Yes, sir.
I can do that very coolly.
Okay.

NARA Description

On April 26, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 7:08 pm to 7:09 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-023 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 45-23

Date: April 26, 1973
Time: 7:08 pm - 7:09 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See also Conversation No. 431-9N]

     Ziegler’s telephone call to John W. Dean, III

Also recorded on April 27, 1973

  • 045-024 7:08 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:08 pm and 7:12 pm.
  • 045-025 7:12 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 7:12 pm to 7:14 pm.
  • 045-026 7:14 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:14 pm and 7:44 pm.
  • 045-027 7:44 PM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Richard G. Kleindienst, and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 7:44 pm to 8:02 pm.
  • 431-010 9:03 PM · 43 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 9:03 pm and 9:47 pm.
  • 045-028 9:47 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:47 pm and 9:57 pm.
  • 045-029 9:57 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 9:57 pm to 9:59 pm.
  • 045-030 10:02 PM · 15 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 10:02 pm.

All 42 conversations from April 27, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 045-023, April 27, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-023 (accessed October 5, 2026).