Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-053
Nixon, Reagan & Cox on Watergate scandal and Presidential resignation
Monday, April 30, 1973 · 10:48 PM–10:50 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min
AI Summary
Governor Ronald Reagan placed a courtesy call to President Richard Nixon to offer personal support and prayers following the President’s televised address regarding the Watergate scandal. The conversation focused on the resignations of H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, with Reagan affirming his continued loyalty to the administration. Nixon expressed appreciation for the gesture while emphasizing the necessity of their shared commitment to global peace amidst the ongoing political crisis.
- Watergate scandal
- Ronald Reagan
- Presidential resignation
- H. R. Haldeman
- John Ehrlichman
- Political support
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 30, 1973, White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, President Richard M. Nixon, and Ronald W. Reagan talked on the telephone from 10:48 pm to 10:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-053 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 45-53
Date: April 30, 1973
Time: 10:48 pm - 10:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The White House operator talked with Tricia Nixon Cox.
Telephone call from Ronald W. Reagan
-37-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 45-53 (cont’d)
Tricia Cox conferred with the President.
[Begin conferral]
Telephone call to Reagan
[End conferral]
The President talked with Reagan.
Time of day
Reagan’s call
President’s ordeal
-Reagan’s support
World peace
-Religious differences
Nancy Reagan
Watergate
-President’s previous speech
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
-Resignations
Reagan’s location
-Sacramento
-Los Angeles
Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-38-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUMAlso recorded on May 1, 1973
- 045-048 10:34 PM · 4 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone from 10:34 pm to 10:36 pm.
- 045-049 10:39 PM · 2 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Harry S. Dent, and [Dwight] David Eisenhower, II talked on the telephone from 10:39 pm to 10:40 pm.
- 045-050 10:41 PM · 1 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer talked on the telephone from 10:41 pm to 10:42 pm.
- 045-051 10:43 PM · 2 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, Rose Mary Woods, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 10:43 pm to 10:45 pm.
- 045-052 10:45 PM · 20 sec — Tricia Nixon Cox, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:45 pm and 10:48 pm.
- 045-054 10:51 PM · 2 min — George P. Shultz and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 10:51 pm to 10:54 pm.
- 045-055 10:54 PM · 44 sec — White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Edward R. F. Cox talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:54 pm and 11:04 pm.
- 045-056 10:54 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:54 pm and 11:04 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 045-053, May 1, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-053 (accessed October 22, 2026).