Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-075

Nixon phone call with Buzhardt on Huston Plan and John W. Dean III

Wednesday, May 16, 1973 · 9:48 AM–9:54 AM ET · White House Telephone · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Buzhardt, J. Fred, Jr.Conversation046-075 on Tape 46StartWednesday, May 16, 1973 at 9:48 AMEndWednesday, May 16, 1973 at 9:54 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-075 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt discussed the contents of sensitive documents removed by John Dean, which Buzhardt identified as materials related to the Huston Plan concerning domestic intelligence collection rather than the Watergate scandal. Fearing that these classified records regarding U.S. intelligence capabilities could be leaked if released to the Ervin Committee, they strategized on methods to suppress the documents through the court system. Buzhardt was tasked with finalizing his identification of the materials and briefing Alexander Haig to ensure the administration was prepared for potential disclosure.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Good morning, Mr. President.
Well, still no report?
Well, sir, the court hadn't turned it over to us, but I did a little snooping last night, and I think I've identified the documents.
Yeah.
What he has, Mr. President, there was a plan for intelligence gathering primarily in the domestic area.
Yeah.
uh it was participated was provided the bureau had the primary task uh was participated in by NSA and CIA uh it described our
It's all of it, Mr. President.
All of it is related to this.
The 43-page document plus eight supplementary documents that go with it, they're all related to the same thing.
No, sir.
Are you sure?
Oh, yes, sir.
It's in no way related to water.
What in the name of God is this?
Why do you think he's played this game?
I have no idea, Mr. Preston, but we have managed to identify from his remarks.
I have found a copy of the thing at NSA.
I just talked to Lutordello.
You mean a copy of what?
The 43 pictures?
Yes, sir.
All the documents?
No, sir, the 43, but the other, by his own statement, are related and some are classified.
What have you found at NSA?
The 43 pictures?
Yes, sir.
I found the 43 pictures.
What is it?
This is something the president has done or something, or that isn't what it is?
No, sir, it is an intelligence summary of our own collection capabilities and limitations.
and a plan for overcoming our shortfalls.
Now, as you know, I'm frankly thinking, as one of the intelligent people, that this is quite a hot document.
In the first place, it gives a lot of foreign countries the clear indication of what our capabilities and limitations are and what we had proposed to do about it.
You mean this is in the United States?
Well, sir, this is how these things operate, flows over into the United States.
So this basically, though, is a U.S., is a domestic intelligence, isn't it?
Well, it's to get information related to domestic intelligence.
I see, I see, I see.
Oh, sure.
And as you well know... Oh, hell, listen, listen.
I remember there was a meeting held at one point where I sat in with NSA and all the rest were... And Hoover was there.
Yes, sir.
Hoover took the lead in this thing.
Hoover and the rest.
And I said, look, you've got to pull it all together and get this stuff... Well, but now let's... Fred.
God damn it, that's not improper.
It is not improper, but it will be...
All right, sir, but you don't have a worry on the waterkeeper.
Yeah, well, thank God, yeah.
Henry Peterson is all worried about giving us a copy and this sort of stuff, and he was last night, so I just got out and started my own stooping.
Why shouldn't he give us this, for Christ's sakes, if this is all on the ground?
He's worried that it will get back to defendants if he's related.
He doesn't know what it is.
I haven't told him, Mr. President, yet, because I just... And you're sure this is what it is?
Yes, sir, and I am...
But you don't know what the eight supplementals are?
No, but I know they're all related and some are only classified.
Apparently, and we don't know this, After Action reports on how they were doing to make up the difference in our capabilities and what we're trying to build.
What kind of capabilities?
You mean capabilities in gathering?
Intelligence collection capabilities.
In the United States?
Well, for activities in the United States.
But the purpose was intelligence in what, the national security area?
In the national security area.
Sure.
God, if we hadn't done it, we would have been out of our minds.
That's true.
That's true.
But it's inconceivable that some guy would carry this thing out.
I know.
I know.
Well, it's inconceivable.
It would be embarrassing.
It would give him a little leverage.
It's inconceivable the judge would not turn it over.
Well, the judge is giving it to my man, Bartimo, and we will move in on it and try to suppress the document.
Well, I suspect that we'll have to anticipate, and I've so told NSA and asked them that the CIE, that the document will be compromised if it goes up to Irvin with all the press pressure on it.
We have to assume that there will be leaks on it.
Well, that's a good job, Fred.
That's a good job.
At least all of our concerns about the Watergate are out, and I'd much rather have it be this than Watergate, wouldn't you?
Yes, quite frankly.
But at least we are...
You want to come down, you say almost certain it's this?
And I will know in just a few minutes.
They're taking their usual time with putting this stuff together so they can give it to us when we got the information.
But we should have it.
Have you reported to Hague yet?
No, sir.
I'll give him a report.
Okay, fine.
Or do you want to come down and tell him now?
Well, I'll be glad to come down and tell him.
Fine.
Because they're going to call you in your office anyway, aren't they?
Well, you can come down to the Oval Office and Haig will be here.
All right.

NARA Description

On May 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone from 9:48 am to 9:54 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-075 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-75

Date: May 16, 1973
Time: 9:48 am - 9:54 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.

[See also Conversation No. 919-9]

      Watergate
           -John W. Dean, III’s documents [The Huston Plan]
                 -Contents
                      -Court custody
                      -Domestic intelligence gathering
                            -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                                           -44-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                           -National Security Agency [NSA]
                           -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
                      -Watergate
                      -Buzhardt’s copy of document
                           -NSA
                           -Louis W.Tordella
                      -Domestic intelligence gathering
                           -Possible problems

*****************************************************************

[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-010. Segment declassified on 04/11/2018. Archivist: MAS]
[National Security]
[046-075-w001]
[Duration: 3s]

     Watergate
          -John W. Dean, III’s documents [The Huston Plan]
                -Contents
                     -Domestic intelligence gathering
                           -Foreign collection

*****************************************************************

     Watergate
          -John W. Dean, III’s documents [The Huston Plan]
                -Contents
                     -Domestic intelligence gathering
                           -President’s meeting with J. Edgar Hoover
                           -President’s position

*****************************************************************

[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-010. Segment declassified on 04/11/2018. Archivist: MAS]
[National Security]
                                            -45-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

[046-075-w002]
[Duration: 8s]

     Watergate
          -John W. Dean, III’s documents [The Huston Plan]
                -Contents
                     -Domestic intelligence gathering
                           -Foreign collection
                           -President’s opinion of foreign collection

*****************************************************************

     Watergate
          -John W. Dean, III’s documents [The Huston Plan]
                -Contents
                     -Watergate
                     -Henry E. Petersen’s concerns
                     -Buzhardt
                            -Tordella
                     -Intelligence gathering

*****************************************************************

[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-010. Segment declassified on 04/11/2018. Archivist: MAS]
[National Security]
[046-075-w003]
[Duration: 8s]

     Watergate
          -John W. Dean, III’s documents [The Huston Plan]
                -Contents
                     -Intelligence gathering
                            -Intelligence obtained from foreign sources
                            -Type of conversations listened to by US intelligence

*****************************************************************
                                                  -46-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

      Watergate
           -John W. Dean, III’s documents [The Huston Plan]
                 -Contents
                      -Judge’s actions
                            -Frank A. Barteimo
                            -White House position
                      -Compromise of classified documents
                            -Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
                      -Watergate
                      -Buzhardt
                      -Report to Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

Also recorded on May 16, 1973

  • 919-004 9:25 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:30 am.
  • 919-005 9:25 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:30 am.
  • 919-007 9:30 AM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:30 am to 9:48 am.
  • 046-074 9:48 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:48 am.
  • 919-008 9:48 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 9:48 am.
  • 919-009 9:48 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:48 am to 9:54 am.
  • 919-010 9:54 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 9:54 am.
  • 919-011 9:54 AM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:54 am to 10:23 am.

All 73 conversations from May 16, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-075, May 16, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-075 (accessed October 22, 2026).