Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 491 › Conversation 491-025

Nixon & Cox on Oval Office and Interior Design

Wednesday, May 5, 1971 · 11:31 AM–11:33 AM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Nixon, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan); Cox, Tricia NixonConversation491-025 on Tape 491 (tape position 04:08:40–04:10:11)StartWednesday, May 5, 1971 at 11:31 AMEndWednesday, May 5, 1971 at 11:33 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 491-025 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417176903 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon hosted Pat Nixon and Tricia Nixon in the Oval Office to discuss the aesthetic and functional updates to the room. The conversation focused on the office's new layout, specifically highlighting the improved atmosphere and the changes to the window views that obscured public foot traffic. The brief meeting concluded with the participants confirming their plans to meet again later that evening.

Audio

Download MP3 · 3.4 MB

NARA Description

On May 5, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:31 am to 11:33 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 491-025 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 491-25

Date: May 5, 1971
Time: 11:31 am - 11:33 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon and Tricia Nixon; this recording begins at an
unknown time while the conversation is in progress.
     Oval Office
          -Appearance
          -Windows
               -Views

**********************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/19/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[491-025-w001]
[Duration: 55s]

       Schedule
             -Boat
             -Unknown man

**********************************************************************

Mrs. Nixon and Tricia Nixon left at 11:33 am.

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 73% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

It's just, look at the living in here, you know?
You see, now you walk in this door, where all of the visitors come in.
And now, look at the room.
Before, it's closed in a bit.
Now, it's got a great feeling to it.
It is, that's right.
See, now you wouldn't see people walking on outside either, right?
There's a lot of people.
Sure, I do.
There's always somebody walking around.
No, no, never outside.
Okay, we'll see you later.
Okay.
Want to come to both of you tonight?
Okay.
Very much.
We'll see.
Very well.
He's like, he's like, he's like, he's like, he's like, he's like,

Also recorded on May 5, 1971

  • 491-023 10:30 AM · 47 min — President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), Peter G. Peterson, and Peter M. Flanigan met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:30 am to 11:27 am.
  • 491-024 11:27 AM · 43 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:27 am and 11:31 am.
  • 491-026 11:33 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:33 am to 11:38 am.
  • 491-027 11:39 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:39 am to 11:40 am.
  • 491-028 11:40 AM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Paul W. McCracken, Ezra Solomon, George P. Shultz, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:40 am to 12:08 pm.
  • 491-029 12:08 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:08 pm and 12:11 pm.
  • 491-030 12:11 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Samuel M. Cohn, Mrs. Samuel M. Cohn, U. Alexis Johnson, Edward F. Knipling, Mrs. Edward F. Knipling, Fred Leonard, Mrs. Fred Leonard, Mrs. George H. Willis, George H. Willis, Robert E. Hampton, John B. Connally, Clifford M. Hardin, George P. Shultz, and Frederic V. Malek met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:11 pm to 12:23 pm.
  • 491-031 12:23 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John G. Tower, Robert D. ("Bob") Lee, Jill Lee, A. J. ("Bob") Blasé, Richard A. Moore, Stephen B. Bull, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:23 pm to 12:43 pm.

All 75 conversations from May 5, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 491-025, May 5, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417176903). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/491-025 (accessed November 2, 2026).