Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 433-001
Date: Tuesday, May 1, 1973 at 12:50 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.
Recording device: Old Executive Office Building
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/433-001

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:07] They currently have some agents here in the White House.
[0:34] So they're standing outside all of his office.
[0:35] Well, I want to ask early.
[0:48] Early on, there's some national security files I can't take care of.
[0:53] They can only have files that have to do with this.
[1:00] Yes, sir.
[1:00] These are files within the offices of all the government agencies.
[1:01] I understand what I mean.
[1:02] They cannot have files.
[1:06] to say.
[1:46] We had to step out until about...
[2:01] The point is...
[2:14] There should be a reference to not only personal files, but files that have to do with the Watergate matter.
[2:28] That's all.
[2:29] You know what I mean?
[2:30] It should be limited to that.
[2:33] And no national security files.
[2:37] All national security files are not.
[2:40] None of those are going to be elected.
[2:43] Do you understand what I mean?
[2:54] Yes, sir.
[2:56] I'm not going to give them all my files.
[3:02] I'd have to do it without them.
[3:03] It's a hell of a sum of dishes.
[3:04] Why would I take any files?
[3:05] They could take dozens of things, and all the files would have to be in the Watergate letter.
[3:08] Tell John to work out some language, or somebody around this goddamn place can work out some language that is less restrictive than that.
[3:11] The garment's stupid as hell.
[3:13] You see,
[3:14] Bring it here.
[3:15] Trouble with this speaker.
[3:37] All correspondence memorized and open center.
[3:46] No, sir.
[3:52] It's much too broad.
[3:57] He knows goddamn well.
[4:00] All correspondence, memoranda, notes, et cetera, include the connection of official duties as opposed to personal papers of individuals.
[4:12] For example, no personal, no personal papers of the president, no personal memoranda
[4:16] from the president, you know.
[4:32] Memoranda between the president and members of his staff are privileged, you know what I mean, and I'm not going to turn those over to anybody.
[4:44] And anything that has to do with being
[4:52] You understand.
[4:53] Tell them to try to work something out.
[4:56] It's less that any, any, any, any.
[5:01] I'm not going to have any files.
[5:03] And I can't.
[5:04] I've written memoranda.
[5:05] None of my memoranda anybody can.
[5:08] Memoranda written to me cannot be included in this sort of thing.
[5:18] That's point one.
[5:19] Second, all files on national security matters.
[5:23] cannot be included in this, except for memoranda of the matters of national security matters.
[5:36] Files can't be included as far as I'm concerned.
[5:39] That's the way I would describe it.
[5:40] Memoranda to or from the president.
[5:47] No, memoranda to or from the president are included.
[5:49] They're not going to be in the custody of the FBI.
[5:52] I mean, you know what I mean, and subject to the perusal of other people.
[5:59] And second, national security files.
[6:05] Any memorandum that has to do with national security, a national security hearing.
[6:13] And the first point we put, all personal.
[6:18] All, you see, and all memorandum to or from the president.
[6:26] are mine.
[6:32] They belong to me.
[6:35] They don't belong to them.
[6:38] And all national security files, any files that have to do with national security belong to the president, not to them.
[6:46] As far as other files are concerned, that's the way I'd like to have them.
[6:57] You realize that now, don't you, sir?
[7:02] All right.