Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-164

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Daniel Ellsberg and Watergate scandal

Tuesday, May 22, 1973 · 8:08 PM–8:09 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation046-164 on Tape 46StartTuesday, May 22, 1973 at 8:08 PMEndTuesday, May 22, 1973 at 8:09 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-164 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to strategically leak information regarding the Daniel Ellsberg break-in to allies such as Hugh Scott and Strom Thurmond. The President emphasizes the necessity of releasing this information to shift the political narrative and intimidate his critics. He instructs Ziegler to characterize the forthcoming disclosure as part of a planned presidential action to ensure the material receives public and congressional attention.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Oh, yes, sir.
Ron, I was going to say to you that when the Ellsberg thing does get out, you know, and here's something where we do miss somebody around like Colson who had a little sense about this.
For God's sake, let Scott and a few others and Thurman and the rest have it.
Oh, sure.
Absolutely.
Okay.
Right.
You understand.
But it must get out.
No, it must get out.
And they'll move it up there then.
Fine.
Fine.
Yes, sir.
And after it moves there, I mean, but
mail them copies of the damn thing make their speeches about us and so forth and uh but the other thing the other story is very important i want these assholes to be a little bit afraid of what we're going to do you understand i i understand that's it and uh and i i would simply not at all you can put it with but just put her out that uh we're under great pressures the president plans to do it this weekend yeah we'll get that done okay okay

NARA Description

On May 22, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 8:08 pm to 8:09 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-164 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-164

Date: May 22, 1973
Time: 8:08 pm - 8:09 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

     Watergate
          -Daniel Ellsberg break-in
                                               -97-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                 -Charles W. Colson
                 -Hugh Scott and Strom Thurmond
                 -White House statement
           -Release of wiretap information on newsmen

Also recorded on May 23, 1973

  • 046-162 8:02 PM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 8:02 pm to 8:03 pm.
  • 046-163 8:03 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:03 pm and 8:08 pm.
  • 046-165 8:09 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:09 pm and 8:28 pm.
  • 046-166 8:28 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 8:28 pm to 8:30 pm.
  • 046-167 8:30 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:30 pm and 8:39 pm.
  • 046-168 8:39 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Bryce N. Harlow talked on the telephone from 8:39 pm to 8:54 pm.
  • 124-001 12:00 AM · 22 sec — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 12:00 am and 9:41 am.
  • 926-001 8:04 AM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:04 am and 8:23 am.

All 56 conversations from May 23, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-164, May 23, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-164 (accessed October 12, 2026).