Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 268 › Conversation 268-004
Nixon & Butterfield on Ronald Reagan and Republic of China
Monday, August 2, 1971 · 2:53 PM–3:00 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building ·1 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to coordinate the President's upcoming schedule and administrative personnel matters. The discussion focused on the logistics of engaging Ronald Reagan as a personal representative, alongside briefings regarding the Republic of China and various California-based meetings. They further addressed the procedural requirements for formal documentation and the transparency needed for high-level appointments.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On August 2, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:53 pm to 3:00 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 268-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 268-004 Date: August 2, 1971 Time: 2:53 pm - 3:00 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield. President's schedule -Call to secretaries Republic of China, Taiwan -President’s personnel representative [Ronald W. Reagan] -Henry A. Kissinger’s staff -Governor’s meeting -California -Reagan -National Diet ceremonies -Airplane Butterfield left at 3:00 pm.
Also recorded on August 2, 1971
- 007-055 1:19 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 1:19 pm.
- 007-056 1:19 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 1:19 pm.
- 007-057 1:19 PM · 8 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:19 pm and 11:07 pm.
- 268-001 2:05 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 2:05 pm and 2:53 pm.
- 268-002 2:05 PM · 5 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 2:05 pm and 2:53 pm.
- 268-003 2:05 PM · 4 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 2:05 pm and 2:53 pm.
- 553-007 2:05 PM · 29 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 2:05 pm on August 2, 1971 and 11:36 am on August 4, 1971.
- 268-005 3:01 PM · 3 hr 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John N. Mitchell, Lawrence M. Higby, White House operator, Lee R. Nunn, John B. Connally, Manolo Sanchez, unknown person(s), and William P. Rogers met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:01 pm to 6:17 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 268-004, August 2, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/268-004 (accessed September 18, 2026).