Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 250 › Conversation 250-025

Nixon & Haldeman on John Scali and Vietnam War

Friday, April 16, 1971 · 5:33 PM–5:34 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation250-025 on Tape 250 (tape position 03:54:08–03:56:41)StartFriday, April 16, 1971 at 5:33 PMEndFriday, April 16, 1971 at 5:34 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 250-025 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs H. R. Haldeman to coordinate a meeting between Henry Kissinger, Ronald Ziegler, and journalist John Scali to manage Scali’s views on Vietnam and the administration's China initiative. Nixon expresses frustration with Scali’s perspectives and Kissinger’s handling of the situation, insisting that Haldeman facilitate the discussion to align their messaging. The President explicitly tasks Haldeman with managing these communications to shield himself from the direct conflict and ensure policy consistency.

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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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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've been talking to Henry, you know, I've been bugging him to be sure that he keeps scaling it for him, but I don't know whether he's doing it enough.

He's got some ideas which are absolutely nuts.

I mean, he wants to move it, and now he's going to throw all the division and rums and all that sort of thing there.

We don't want to stir up the amount now, but he doesn't understand that, see.

Somebody's got to talk to him about it, see.

He's got to set a talk to.

He's got to set a talk to, set a talk to.

The way to do it,

The way to do it is that you bring him and Henry in from the Iran Ministry.

And Henry has gotten to sit there and talk to Schiskelli.

Now, if he doesn't do it, because Schiskelli has said he'll do it, he's not able to do it, you see.

But I managed to say, he feels it.

Now, actually, if I go to China, then he wants to make more of it, which Henry said, and I said, well, that was my role.

Well, I don't think we should trust you at this point.

My own view is that that's a mistake.

I think you're wrong.

And that's what Scali sees, that we have not done enough.

And Henry doesn't like to be reminded of the fact that by the art we have.

So, but let me ask you to do this.

I don't want to have to get in the middle of this and go, I don't want to have to sit here and have to go to everybody and go to all these things because I hear it more than anybody.

It's valid and angry and wrong.

There it is.

And about this subject, I don't get a greater, I don't get it in Schultz, I don't get it in others, I don't know a goddamn thing about Ford Post, and I don't want that anymore.

I don't want the competition, I don't care anymore.

The question of something that's unaccomplished is a matter of .

You know, meaning that this certain darkness was important.

You know, as we walk through the day after day, you know, it's contrary to what there is for people of some kind in that relationship with God.

And that first element of darkness, you know, you say, you know, there's cancer in that place.

NARA Description

On April 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:33 pm to 5:34 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 250-025 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 250-25

Date: April 16, 1971
Time: 5:33 pm - 5:34 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

     President’s conversation with Henry A. Kissinger
          -James L. Buckley
          -John A. Scali
                -Views on Vietnam
                     -Withdrawal
                -Need for Kissinger to speak with Scali

               -Instructions to Haldeman to meet with Scali, Kissinger, and Ronald L. Ziegler
               -Instructions for Kissinger
               -[Unintelligible name]
               -People’s Republic of China [PRC] initiative
                     -Scali’s views
                     -President’s views
                     -Kissinger
               -Instructions to Haldeman
                     -Scali, Kissinger, and Ziegler
               -Clark MacGregor and George P. Shultz
               -Congress
                     -Possible meeting with President
               -Instructions for Scali

Also recorded on April 16, 1971

042-055 5:30 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 5:30 pm to 5:32 pm.
250-024 5:32 PM · 11 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 5:32 pm and 5:33 pm.
042-056 5:33 PM · 23 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 5:33 pm to 5:34 pm.
250-026 5:34 PM · 3 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
250-027 5:34 PM · 4 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
250-028 5:34 PM · 7 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
250-029 5:34 PM · 18 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
250-030 5:34 PM · 2 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.

All 51 conversations from April 16, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 250-025, April 16, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/250-025 (accessed October 23, 2026).