Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 508 › Conversation 508-006

Nixon alone in the Oval Office on War on Drugs and Criminal Justice Reform

Wednesday, June 2, 1971 · 8:55 AM–9:20 AM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation508-006 on Tape 508 (tape position 00:10:49–00:13:27)StartWednesday, June 2, 1971 at 8:55 AMEndWednesday, June 2, 1971 at 9:20 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 508-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon dictated a memorandum to John D. Ehrlichman and Egil Krogh, Jr. tasking them with developing recommendations to increase criminal penalties for drug suppliers and pushers. Nixon specifically expressed a willingness to consider extreme measures, including the death penalty, for major narcotics traffickers despite potential judicial resistance regarding stiff sentencing. He requested an urgent review of federal statutes to determine how they might be utilized to address the trafficking of hard drugs like heroin.

  • War on Drugs
  • Criminal Justice Reform
  • Narcotics Trafficking
  • Capital Punishment
  • Federal Legislation

Audio

Download MP3 · 4.9 MB

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 51% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I'd like to see any recommendations which can be made with regard to increasing penalties for suppliers and pushers of drugs.
I don't know whether we can do this without addicts who would have to push for, to supply their habit.
In this whole field, I know the argument of criminologists is that if the penalty is too stiff, their courts will be less likely to condemn.
However, when it comes to the major suppliers of drugs, of narcotics, particularly hard drugs like heroin,
I wouldn't support anything up to the death penalty to deal with such people.
Of course, I realize the federal statute could only apply to interstate shipments.
But this should give us a pretty good handle on the problem.
on a urgent basis and give me a recommendation as soon as possible.

NARA Description

On June 2, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:20 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 508-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 508-006

Date: June 2, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:55 am and 9:20 am
Location: Oval Office

The President dictated a memorandum to John D. Ehrlichman and Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

     Drug use
          -Recommendations for increasing criminal penalties
          -Pushers who are addicts

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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/15/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[508-006-w001]
[Duration: 4s]

     [Sneeze]

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     Drug use
          -Courts possible reaction
          -Use of death penalty
          -Applicability of federal statutes

Also recorded on June 2, 1971

  • 508-001 8:55 AM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:20 am.
  • 508-002 8:55 AM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:20 am.
  • 508-003 8:55 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:20 am.
  • 508-004 8:55 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:20 am.
  • 508-005 8:55 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:20 am.
  • 508-007 8:55 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:20 am.
  • 508-008 8:55 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:20 am.
  • 508-009 8:55 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:20 am.

All 42 conversations from June 2, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 508-006, June 2, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/508-006 (accessed September 26, 2026).