Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 425 › Conversation 425-002

Nixon & Ehrlichman on Federal Budget and Spending Ceiling

Wednesday, March 28, 1973 · 11:09 AM–12:28 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation425-002 on Tape 425StartWednesday, March 28, 1973 at 11:09 AMEndWednesday, March 28, 1973 at 12:28 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 425-002 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman met to discuss the administration's budgetary strategy and the escalating Wounded Knee standoff. The President sought to refine a simplified public messaging strategy regarding spending ceilings and the broader fiscal situation. Furthermore, Nixon expressed concern over the longevity of the occupation at Wounded Knee and directed Ehrlichman to formulate a clear communication approach to manage public perception of the crisis.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 70% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

John, I wondered about getting some ideas on what's going on with that crisis.
And I think you know that things go on there for very long period of time.
That's all I can say.
That would be fine.
You see what I'm trying to do?
I want to learn as simply as possible.
What I want to do is make the case.
I don't want to go into this.
I don't want this story to arise.
I think I would need it.
I've got the .

NARA Description

On March 28, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 12:28 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 425-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 425-2

Date: March 28, 1973
Time: Unknown between 11:09 am and 12:28 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

       Briefing on budget
             -Spending ceiling
                   -Public reaction
             -Budget situation

       Wounded Knee incident

[End of telephone conversation]

Also recorded on March 28, 1973

  • 044-041 11:09 AM · 56 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Walter Lippmann talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 12:28 pm.
  • 044-042 11:09 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 12:28 pm.
  • 421-029 11:09 AM · 20 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 11:09 am and 12:28 pm.
  • 421-030 11:09 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 12:28 pm.
  • 421-031 11:09 AM · 9 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 11:09 am and 12:28 pm.
  • 421-032 11:09 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 12:28 pm.
  • 421-033 11:09 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 12:28 pm.
  • 421-034 11:09 AM · 20 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 11:09 am and 12:28 pm.

All 65 conversations from March 28, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 425-002, March 28, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/425-002 (accessed October 2, 2026).