← 261-025261-027 →

Conversation 261-026

TapeTape 261StartTuesday, June 29, 1971 at 2:28 PMEndTuesday, June 29, 1971 at 2:32 PMTape start time01:02:01Tape end time01:24:20ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Colson, Charles W.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss their strategy for handling the controversy surrounding the Daniel Ellsberg case and the publication of the Pentagon Papers. Nixon emphasizes the need to aggressively challenge internal government leakers, framing them as disloyal intellectuals who undermine the country's interests. The President instructs Colson to actively pursue evidence linking these individuals to subversive communist groups to discredit their motivations and control the political narrative.

Daniel EllsbergPentagon PapersInternal securitySubversionPolitical strategyLoyalty
AudioNARA Description

On June 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:28 pm to 2:32 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 261-026 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 261-26

Date: June 29, 1971
Time: 2:28 pm - 2:32 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson

[See Conversation No. 6-23]
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Yeah.
So, anything new on the air front today?
Right.
Yeah.
Here it is.
I told all of them today and I also told the captain and I told the official that we're going to fight all out of this thing.
Well, the point is that if the Ellsberg case ever comes up, he's going to get all through his government among the intellectual types.
The people that have the loyalty is the idea that they will be the ones who return what's good for this country.
And on that, they weren't elected.
They're not going to turn it that way.
Now, I consider this a little problem.
I'm going to make it a moderate one.
I just want to prove it.
You're not very too much of an insider.
You have a problem, I tell you.
Run your shop.
Be honest.
Pretty natural, right?
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
If you can really tie it in with some, like communist groups, that would be good.
It's my guess that the intent was subversive, you know.
Sure.
Right.
Right.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, that was a big damn dickle in the hunch yesterday.
The nickel, the pressure, the comic power, everybody else.
Yeah.
I got it.
Okay, good.
You're getting a bad look at me.
That's what you get.
← 261-025261-027 →