President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to discuss the administration's strategic response to the Watergate scandal, specifically focusing on the composition and release of a forthcoming White Paper intended to address public and congressional concerns. They reviewed the status of internal staff morale and the necessity of maintaining stable government operations amidst the political turmoil. Additionally, the pair coordinated an upcoming economic meeting with key advisors to address the need for decisive action regarding national economic policy.
On May 22, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:34 am and 9:55 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 438-025 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 438-25
Date: May 22, 1973
Time: Unknown between 9:34 am and 9:55 am
Location: Old Executive Office Building
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Watergate
-Presentation of White Paper to Congressional leaders
-President’s conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler
-Congressional leaders
-Bryce N. Harlow’s view
-President’s conversation with Ziegler
-Content
-Attendees
-Correspondents
-President’s previous conversation with Stephen B. Bull
-Meeting with Haig
-Cabinet meeting
National economy
-Haig’s forthcoming meeting at 4:00 pm
-Attendees
-William E. Simon, George P. Shultz, Kenneth R. Cole and Roy L.
Ash
-Agenda
-Congressional committee
-Possible wage and price freeze
-Simon’s recommendation
-Politics
-Need for action
-24-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. October-2011)
Conversation No. 438-25 (cont’d)
Watergate
-Study on leaks by National Security Council [NSC]
-Forthcoming White Paper on Watergate
-Composition
-Authorship
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
-Timing of release
National economy
-Press coverage
-Ziegler
-Haig’s meeting at 4:00 pm
-Need for action
-Ash and Shultz
Watergate
-Effect on the President’s activities
-Communications
-Haig’s conversation with Ziegler
-Prisoners of war [POW] issue and forthcoming summits
-Georges J. R. Pompidou meeting
-William J. Baroody, Jr. and Herbert G. Klein
-White House staff meetings
-Ziegler
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Dwight L. Chapin, and
Charles W. Colson
-Government operations
-Responsibility
-Effect on White House staff
-Attitude
-Confidence
-Number of resignations
-Ziegler [?]
-Elections
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. October-2011)
Conversation No. 438-25 (cont’d)
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Conversation with Haig
-Confirmation
-Dr. James R. Schlesinger
-Mood
-Richard M. Helms
-Connotations from news summaries
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters’s memoranda
-Opinion regarding President’s role in cover-up
-John W. Dean, III’s visits
-Forthcoming White Paper
-Walters’s memoranda of conversation [memcons]
-Allegations on use of Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] in cover-
up
-L[ouis] Patrick Gray
-Conversations with President
-Topics
-Dean
-Documents
-Support from Congressional leaders
-John C. Stennis
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Possible conversation with Haig
-Harry F. Byrd, Jr.
-Conversation with Haig
-Jackson
-Haldeman’s and Ehrlichman’s possible testimony
-Executive privilege
-Executive privilege
-Documents
-Buzhardt’s view
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Richardson
-News stories
-Martha Mitchell
-Telephone call
-President’s role
-26-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. October-2011)
Conversation No. 438-25 (cont’d)
-Cover-up
-National security
-Forthcoming White Paper
-Purposes
-Audience
-Popular concern
-Forthcoming White Paper
-Composition
Haig left at an unknown time before 9:55 am.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.