Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 504 › Conversation 504-021

Butterfield & United States Secret Service agents on Oval Office

Thursday, May 27, 1971 · 10:03 AM–10:36 AM ET · Oval Office ·1 min

ParticipantsButterfield, Alexander P.;  [Unknown person(s)];  United States Secret Service agentsConversation504-021 onTape 504StartThursday, May 27, 1971 at 10:03 AMEndThursday, May 27, 1971 at 10:36 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 504-021 ↗

AI Summary

Alexander P. Butterfield met with Secret Service agents and unidentified individuals in the Oval Office to coordinate the arrival and display of a decorative object commissioned by Lucy Ferguson. The group discussed technical requirements for the item’s installation and its visual presentation within the room. This logistical effort served as a preparatory measure for the President's upcoming return to the office.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Um, Lucy Ferguson is making a car right now.
It'll be here by any time.
But this thing has to be built somehow.
Lucy could have, he has to be built by Mr. Ferguson.
Lucy will be here before he's in town.
What is this?
That's the beginning of the movie.
It's quiet there, but I think that's what it is.
Lucy's face is better.
Just see what it's done by the time.
What do you think?
Beautiful.
There is a heck of a lot we can do to solve it.
We've got to do something about it.
You never know when you really need to go.
We can add on to this.
Thank you very much.

NARA Description

On May 27, 1971, 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. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 504-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 504-21

Date: May 27, 1971
Time: Unknown between 10:03 am and 10:36 am
Location: Oval Office

Alexander P. Butterfield met with an unknown woman and Secret Service agents.

     Oval Office furnishings
          -Lucy Ferguson
               -Call for unknown object
               -Arrival of unknown object
               -Display of unknown object

     Preparations for President’s return to Oval Office

Butterfield, et al. left at an unknown time before 10:36 am.

Also recorded on May 27, 1971

  • 504-001 8:25 AM · 1 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:25 am and 9:33 am.
  • 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.
  • 504-004 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.
  • 504-005 11:52 AM · 23 sec — 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.
  • 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.

All 20 conversations from May 27, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 504-021, 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/504-021 (accessed September 18, 2026).