Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 504 › Conversation 504-005

Nixon & Sanchez on King Faisal and Saudi Arabia

Thursday, May 27, 1971 · 11:52 AM–11:54 AM ET · Oval Office ·23 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Sanchez, ManoloConversation504-005 onTape 504 (tape position 02:02:13–02:02:53)StartThursday, May 27, 1971 at 11:52 AMEndThursday, May 27, 1971 at 11:54 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 504-005 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with his personal aide, Manolo Sanchez, to discuss a gift of a sword received from King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. Their brief exchange touched upon the political perspectives of a third party, characterized by the President as harboring negative views toward Saudi Arabia and Jewish people. The conversation primarily served as a casual interaction regarding diplomatic gifts and the interpersonal impressions of various individuals.

Audio

Download MP3 · 0.9 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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).

Well, how do you like the story?
Hugh is, uh, he's a nice man, sir.
Yeah, he, uh, he, uh, he, uh, he doesn't like Mr. Saudi Arabia.
He don't like the Jews.
Okay.
He likes that.
He doesn't like the Jews.
He doesn't like the Jews.

NARA Description

On May 27, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:52 am and 11:54 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 504-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 504-5

Date: May 27, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:52 am and 11:54 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Manolo Sanchez.

     [Gift from Malik Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Saud]
           -Sword

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 9s ]

     SAUDI ARABIA

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 11:54 am.

Also recorded on May 27, 1971

  • 504-002 9:33 AM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Rose Mary Woods, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:33 am to 10:01 am.
  • 504-003 10:01 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:01 am to 10:03 am.
  • 504-021 10:03 AM · 1 min — Alexander P. Butterfield, unknown person(s), and United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:03 am and 10:36 am.
  • 504-004 10:36 AM · 1 hr 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, King Malik Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, Isa Sabbaugh, Camile Nowfels, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:36 am to 11:50 am.
  • 504-022 11:50 AM · 52 sec — Alexander P. Butterfield and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:50 am and 11:52 am.
  • 504-006 11:52 AM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, R. C. ("Hugh") Robinson, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Jack T. ("Tom") Cole, Frederic V. Malek, Robert Martin, Frank P. Rocco, Carson M. Howell, Mrs. Carson M. Howell, Alexander P. Butterfield, Peter G. Peterson, and Catherine May Bedell met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:52 am and 12:05 pm.
  • 504-007 12:05 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:05 pm and 12:10 pm.
  • 504-008 12:10 PM · 45 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:10 pm to 1:00 pm.

All 20 conversations from May 27, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 504-005, May 27, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/504-005 (accessed September 18, 2026).