Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 430 › Conversation 430-039

Nixon & Kleindienst on National Security and Watergate

Wednesday, April 25, 1973 · 8:20 PM–8:23 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kleindienst, Richard G.Conversation430-039 on Tape 430StartWednesday, April 25, 1973 at 8:20 PMEndWednesday, April 25, 1973 at 8:23 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 430-039 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst held a brief, late-night discussion regarding the status of a national security investigation. They touched upon the complexities of obtaining a judicial decision and the political implications of how the public perceives the case. The exchange concluded with the President dismissing Kleindienst, leaving the specific procedural next steps unresolved.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I just, did you get your call for an answer?

I'm fine.

What do you point out here?

I don't know how you can get a decision from the judge, but I think it's very good for us to be able to know that this is an action security investigation.

I don't know what the degree is.

Okay.

Sleep well, boy.

But now, you know, people say it repeats the present, so they think it ain't, but what now?

Huh?

Is that all right?

NARA Description

On April 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:20 pm to 8:23 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 430-039 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 430-039

Date: April 25, 1973
Time: 8:20 pm - 8:23 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Richard G. Kleindienst.

[See Conversation No. 038-159]

Also recorded on April 26, 1973

038-157 7:46 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 7:46 pm to 7:53 pm.
038-158 7:53 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:53 pm and 8:20 pm.
430-037 7:53 PM · 36 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 7:53 pm and 8:20 pm.
430-038 7:53 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:53 pm and 8:20 pm.
038-159 8:20 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone from 8:20 pm to 8:23 pm.
038-160 8:23 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:23 pm and 9:07 pm.
430-040 8:23 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:23 pm and 8:41 pm.
430-041 8:23 PM · 14 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 8:23 pm and 8:41 pm.

All 73 conversations from April 26, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 430-039, April 26, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/430-039 (accessed October 5, 2026).