President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman met to discuss sensitive foreign policy and political strategy, specifically regarding the Middle East, the Vietnam War, and the role of Secretary of State William P. Rogers. They reviewed reports from John N. Mitchell concerning Israel, the Jewish community’s political influence, and Henry Kissinger’s covert diplomatic backchannels. Nixon expressed frustration with Rogers' management of the State Department, questioning his effectiveness and loyalty, while contemplating how to utilize his staff to better monitor foreign affairs.
On June 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:19 am and 11:50 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 518-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 518-6
Date: June 12, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:19 am and 11:50 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield
President’s schedule
-Signing of documents
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 11:19 am
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 01/06/2020.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[518-006-w001]
[Duration: 3m 31s]
Tricia Nixon Cox and Edward R. F. Cox’s wedding
Weather
-William H. Carruthers
-Wedding arrangements
-Possibility of moving wedding indoors
-Decision time
-Flower set-ups
-Rain prospects
-Duration
-Possibility of delay
-Rain prospects
Butterfield left at unknown time before 11:30 am
Tricia Nixon Cox and Edward R. F. Cox’s wedding
-Wedding arrangements
-Ceremony
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s wedding ceremony
-Readings
-The President’s message
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Planning the wedding
-Benefits of public ceremony
-Compared to Lynda B. (Johnson) Robb wedding
-Wedding interest from public
-Permission
-Tricia Nixon Cox’s attitude
-Media limitations
-Policy
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Drugs
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC] special
-Method
-Content
-Possibilities
-Concern with drugs
-Opportunities for administration
-Breadth of response
-Leonard Garment, Raymond K. Price, Jr., William L. Safire
-Experimentation with drugs
-Prominence
-Ivy League schools
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/20/2019.
Segment will remain closed.]
[Personal Returnable]
[518-006-w002]
[Duration: 11s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
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Drugs
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC] special
-Use of drugs as an issue
-Perception of people
-Opposition of administration to Mafia
-Dilletantes
-State Department
-William P. Rogers
-Ambassadors meeting
Rogers
-Concern with State affairs
-Relation with State Department employees
-John D. Ehrlichman
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[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 01/02/2019. Segment cleared for
release.]
[Privacy]
[518-006-w010]
[Duration: 6s]
William P. Rogers
-Relations with Department of State [DOS] employees
-The President’s opinion
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William P. Rogers
-Relations with Department of State [DOS] employees
-U. Alexis Johnson’s view of State Department employees
Haldeman’s conversation with John N. Mitchell
-Middle East
-Jewish community
-Mitchell-Henry A. Kissinger contacts
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Jewish community
-Strategy with President
-Approval of President
-Vietnam
-Joseph W. Alsop
-Support for liberals
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Common Cause
-Support for President’s Vietnam policy
-Kissinger’s meetings with Yitzhak Rabin
-Frequency
-Benefits of meeting
-Strategy
-Mitchell
-Rogers
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[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-027. Segment declassified on 05/07/2019. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[518-006-w004]
[Duration: 8s]
H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s conversation with John N. Mitchell
-Henry A. Kissinger’s meetings with Yitzhak Rabin
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] role
-Egyptian contacts
-US position
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H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s conversation with John N. Mitchell
-Henry A. Kissinger’s meetings with Yitzhak Rabin
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Donald Bergus
-Egyptian proposal
-Mitchell-Rogers contact
-Kissinger’s role
-Contact with Rabin
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[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-027. Segment declassified on 05/01/2019. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[Duration: 22s]
H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s conversation with John N. Mitchell
-John N. Mitchell and William P. Rogers’ contact
-Planes to Israel
-Israelis
-Not unified
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H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s conversation with John N. Mitchell
-John N. Mitchell and William P Rogers’ contact
-President’s role
-White House policy formation
-Rogers’ role
-Meeting between Mitchell and the President
-Content
-Kissinger’s role in Middle East
-Rumors of State Department involvement in People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
-PRC contact initiation
-Agency input
-Department of Commerce
-Department of Defense
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[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 12/27/2019. Segment cleared for
release.]
[Privacy]
[518-006-w012]
[Duration: 1m 38s]
Foreign policy formation
-William P. Rogers’ role as Secretary of State
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Possible resignation
-The President’s needs
-Compared to other US presidents
-Role of Secretary of State
-Working with Lyndon B. Johnson
-Qualities
-Elliot L. Richardson as Secretary of State
-Qualities
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Relationship with the President
-Relationship with William P. Rogers
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Foreign policy formation
-John N. Mitchell’s information
-Accuracy
-Mitchell’s meeting with President
-Haldeman’s role with Rogers
-Mitchell’s New York contacts
-Kissinger’s meetings with Rabin
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[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-028. Segment declassified on 05/01/2019. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[518-006-w013]
[Duration: 31s]
Foreign policy formation
-Aid to Israel
-Amount
-John N. Mitchell’s suggestion
-Planes
-Frequency
-Israelis
-The President’s view
-US Jewish community
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Foreign policy formation-Polls
-Jewish support for President
-Robert H. Finch
-Stewart J. O. Alsop
-Press
-Mitchell
-Rogers
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/27/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[518-006-w005]
[Duration: 1m 39s]
Tricia Nixon Cox and Edward R. F. Cox wedding
-Weather
-Timing
-Sun light placement
-Picture possibilities
-Comfort for guests
-Length of ceremony
-Rain chances and amounts
-Wedding of H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s sister
-Location
-Weather
-Tent covering
-Effect on guests
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John N. Mitchell
-Kissinger-Rabin meeting
-Content
Kissinger
-Views
-Haig
-Signal on campaign contribution
-Use by administration
-Intent
-Garment role
Rogers
-Previous Sequoia meeting
-Rogers’ objectivity
-Position on Clark M. Clifford proposal
-Position on Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Position on Vietnam
-Position on Cambodia
-Position on Laos
Laos
-Casualty rate
-John A. Scali
-Charles W. Colson
-Cambodia
-Stock market
-Laos
Rogers
-Maurice H. Stans
-Commerce Department personnel
-State Department personnel
-Ehrlichman
-Johnson
-Thailand
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] problems
-PRC
-Vietnam
-Soviet Union
-Dobrynin
-Rogers and Kissinger participation
-Soviet summit
-PRC contact
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[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines
Conv. No.
case 518-9 (cont.)
number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-027. Segment declassified on 05/01/2019. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[518-006-w007]
[Duration: 8s]
Foreign policy
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] contact
-Henry A. Kissinger’s idea
-Message from the President to William P. Rogers
-Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan’s invitation to Henry A. Kissinger
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] ambassador
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William P. Rogers
-PRC
-Trade
-Kissinger
-Travel
-Midway Island
-Intellect
-Department of State
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[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 12/27/2019. Segment cleared for
release.]
[Privacy]
[518-006-w008]
[Duration: 1m 36s]
William P. Rogers
-Reaction to praise
-Praise of others
-Self-serving
-The President’s role
-Relationship with William P. Rogers
-Workload
-Melvin R. Laird
-Previous conversation with the President
-Influence
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Relationship with Jews
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The President’s relationship with Jews
-Israeli relations
Haldeman left at 11:45 amThis transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.