Conversation 438-008

TapeTape 438StartThursday, May 17, 1973 at 1:47 PMEndThursday, May 17, 1973 at 3:05 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose MaryRecording deviceOld Executive Office Building

AI Summary

President Nixon directs his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to instruct Secret Service agent Jack Brennan to conduct an immediate, high-priority investigation into threats against the President. Nixon demands a 24-hour turnaround on a comprehensive report detailing historical threats, including prank correspondence and specific incidents dating back to the start of his administration. The objective of this directive is to gather concrete statistical data regarding security risks to bolster the President’s protective posture.

United States Secret ServicePresidential securityThreat assessmentRose Mary WoodsJack BrennanAdministrative oversight

Audio

NARA Description

On May 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:47 pm and 3:05 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 438-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 438-8

Date: May 17, 1973
Time: Unknown between 1:47 pm and 3:05 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building

The President talked with Rose Mary Woods.

        United States Secret Service [USSS]
               -Orders from President
                       -John V. (“Jack”) Brennan
                       -Threats against President
                              -Removal of President
                              -24 hour action report
                       -Richard Kaiser

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Oh, Rose.

Yeah.

I want you to pass this to Brandon.

I wanted to tell the Secret Service that without any chance, but on a crash basis, it's important for the President to be carried out immediately, and I expect an action in 24 hours.

They're moving forward over the past four and a half years.

Take every crank and crew and everybody else, and dress up the President with everything else that they have.

I used to get with the head of the Secret Service, Kaiser, and say, Kaiser, this is your job.

I'm not going to, I don't need it, right, 24 hours.

You can get it 24 hours, you can get it 24 days, but my fight is, all right, they have a file, you see, I need the numbers.

Threats, prank letters, blah, blah, blah, blah, we understand.

Okay, incidents, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

We're going to pull paper from it.

You tell Brennan to handle the secret service again.

Nobody else?

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