← 433-008433-010 →

Conversation 433-009

TapeTape 433StartTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 1:04 PMEndTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 1:06 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon directed his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to forcefully communicate his refusal to allow personal and national security files to be held or scrutinized by the FBI. Nixon expressed intense frustration over the breadth of requests for his documentation, insisting that such materials are his private property rather than evidence for potential defendants. He instructed Bull to convey this firm stance to legal counsel, demanding the immediate removal of these files from external oversight.

WatergateFBIPresidential filesNational securityExecutive privilege
AudioNARA Description

On May 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:04 pm to 1:06 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 433-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 433-9

Date: May 1, 1973
Time: 1:04 pm - 1:06 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See Conversation No. 45-77]
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.
After the cabinet meeting, I think Roger's going to look at this goddamn thing and we'll see what it is.
But I'd like you to tell Carmen that this is much too broad.
I cannot, I'm not going to have my personal files held there so that you just, you know, these men are not defendants.
I'm getting them the hell out of there.
What'd he say?
He gulped.
Did you mention the fact that, no, that I could not have anything, and that anything that's personal between me and them is mine.
It doesn't belong to them.
Goddamn, his ass, he knows that.
And anything in the national security area is mine.
It doesn't belong to them.
And anything else, and that gets out of there.
I'm not going to have that locked up in the FBI.
And if goddamn him, you tell him to write something else, I'd better tell him off to his ass faster.
He's out of his counsel at 2.30.
We've got a map.
Just an old word.
← 433-008433-010 →