Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 500 › Conversation 500-021

Nixon & Ehrlichman on Bertram S. Brown and NIMH

Tuesday, May 18, 1971 · 2:14 PM–2:30 PM ET · Oval Office · 52 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation500-021 on Tape 500 (tape position 02:42:59–02:43:48)StartTuesday, May 18, 1971 at 2:14 PMEndTuesday, May 18, 1971 at 2:30 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 500-021 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss the need to reprimand Dr. Bertram S. Brown of the National Institute of Mental Health for publicly contradicting statements made by the President during a recent press conference. Nixon expresses frustration that an administration official would undermine his position and instructs Ehrlichman to investigate Brown's credentials. Ultimately, the President directs press secretary Ron Ziegler to publicly refute Brown's comments to ensure administrative discipline.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I want to be sure that, since you won't probably get any dope on this fellow Brown, you get a hold of the signature and get a question put in there so he knocks it down.
You know, and I, yeah, yeah, no, let me say that the reason I'm concerned about it is that I specifically was acting about that at the press conference.
We're supposed to have a procedure where such press conference room, I'm sure, would circulate into the appropriate agencies.
Now, when a son of a bitch like this gets out and makes something exactly the contrary, he's got to be reprimanded.
What is he, a doctor, or what is he?
He's a doctor, is he, or a psychiatrist?
Did we put him in there?
Okay, well, I'll just get Ziegler to knock it down.

NARA Description

On May 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:14 pm and 2:30 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 500-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 500-21

Date: May 18, 1971
Time: Unknown between 2:14 pm and 2:30 pm

Location: Oval Office

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

[Discontinuities appear in the original recording]

     Statements by Dr. Bertram S. Brown of National Institute of Mental Health
          -Ronald L. Ziegler's press briefing
          -President's previous press conference
          -Brown identified
          -Ziegler's briefing

[End of conversation]

Also recorded on May 18, 1971

  • 500-018 2:10 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:10 pm and 2:14 pm.
  • 500-019 2:14 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:14 pm and 2:30 pm.
  • 500-020 2:14 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:14 pm and 2:30 pm.
  • 500-022 2:30 PM · 28 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:30 pm to 3:04 pm.
  • 500-023 3:04 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:06 pm.
  • 500-024 3:04 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:06 pm.
  • 500-025 3:06 PM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:06 pm to 3:40 pm.
  • 500-026 3:42 PM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Charles W. Colson, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:42 pm to 4:05 pm.

All 42 conversations from May 18, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 500-021, May 18, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/500-021 (accessed September 28, 2026).