Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 504 › Conversation 504-022

Butterfield on Oval Office logistics and Diplomatic protocol

Thursday, May 27, 1971 · 11:50 AM–11:52 AM ET · Oval Office ·52 sec

ParticipantsButterfield, Alexander P.;  [Unknown person(s)]Conversation504-022 onTape 504 (tape position 02:01:01–02:02:13)StartThursday, May 27, 1971 at 11:50 AMEndThursday, May 27, 1971 at 11:52 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 504-022 ↗

AI Summary

Alexander P. Butterfield facilitates a brief, informal meeting in the Oval Office with an unknown individual, potentially a Saudi Arabian official, and a staff member named Kimberly. The dialogue primarily focuses on logistical arrangements for the guests, including moving them to a private area and offering refreshments. The encounter concludes abruptly with the party exiting the office shortly after arrival.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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He's gone.
Everyone's gone.
Get away from here.
All of them.
Come.
Get in there.
Get in there with me.
One.
Get in there.
Take these things.
Up ahead.
Take this one.
Hold it.
Do you like what it is?
Do you want some?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

NARA Description

On May 27, 1971, 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. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 504-022 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 504-22

Date: May 27, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:50 am and 11:52 am
Location: Oval Office

Alexander P. Butterfield met with an unknown person (Saudi Arabian official?) at an unknown
time after 11:50 am.

     President’s schedule
          -President’s location

     [Unintelligible]

     Unknown request

Kimberly [Surname unknown] enters at an unknown time before 11:52 am.

Butterfield, et al. left at an unknown time before 11:52 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.
  • 504-005 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.
  • 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 504-022, 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/504-022 (accessed September 18, 2026).