Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 253 › Conversation 253-034

Nixon with unidentified visitors in his EOB office on Law and Order

Wednesday, May 26, 1971 · 6:50 PM–6:58 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation253-034 on Tape 253 (tape position 02:59:11–02:59:17)StartWednesday, May 26, 1971 at 6:50 PMEndWednesday, May 26, 1971 at 6:58 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 253-034 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover discussed the need for an aggressive legal and investigative strategy regarding individuals apprehended for violent acts against police officers. Expressing frustration over lawlessness, the President directed the Attorney General to prioritize the collection of unlimited security information and confirmed plans for a meeting with law enforcement leaders. Nixon also signaled his intention to address a police academy as part of a broader effort to emphasize a tough stance on crime, explicitly rejecting sociological justifications for criminal behavior.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
You're probably way ahead of me, but may I tell you that in terms of the VR situation, in this particular time, since these people are apprehended, the security information we seek is unlimited, okay?
Yes.
And you tell the attorney general that that's what I suggested to the lawyer, and you do it, okay?
Don't you agree with this?
By and by, let's get these bastards.
And we'll follow that up with the, on their recommendation, the meeting of, say, 100 cops, police, and sheriffs from around the country.
Oh, good.
Good.
Oh, you have.
That's great.
That's the way it works.
And then we'll get at this, and I'll come by the academy and give them a little pop.
Okay.
Let's get these guys.
By God.
You know, it just sickens me to see people shooting policemen in the back.
Doesn't it, you?
I mean, of course it does you, but it does me as just an ordinary citizen.
Say this.
Say this.
That's right.
The New York Times will probably write an editorial pointing out that the guy that shot him was raised in a bad neighborhood.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
But that isn't the reason these people are bad people.
Right?
Okay, Edgar.
Thank you very much.
Hey!

NARA Description

On May 26, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:50 pm and 6:58 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 253-034 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 253-34

Date: May 26, 1971
Time: Unknown between 6:50 pm and 6:58 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with the White House operator

[This is the original beginning of Conversation No. 253-034, which has been
                                                                       Conv.merged
                                                                             No. 253-45
                                                                                   with (cont.)
Conversation No. 253-033.]

[See Conversation No. 3-144]

Also recorded on May 26, 1971

  • 003-142 6:42 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 6:42 pm to 6:46 pm.
  • 253-031 6:42 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:42 pm to 6:46 pm.
  • 003-143 6:46 PM · 1 min — Alexander P. Butterfield, White House operator, and Toni Sidley talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:46 pm and 6:50 pm.
  • 253-032 6:46 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:46 pm and 6:57 pm.
  • 003-144 6:50 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:50 pm and 6:58 pm.
  • 253-033 6:50 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:50 pm and 6:58 pm.
  • 003-145 6:58 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Edgar Hoover talked on the telephone from 6:58 pm to 7:01 pm.
  • 253-035 6:58 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Edgar Hoover met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:58 pm to 7:01 pm.

All 83 conversations from May 26, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 253-034, May 26, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/253-034 (accessed October 12, 2026).