Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 530
Nixon White House Tape 530 (June 29, 1971)
15 conversations · Oval Office · about 3 hr 22 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Haldeman, Sanchez, Ziegler
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office for a brief, informal encounter. The exchange was limited to a single exclamation by the President, providing no substantive discussion of policy or administrative action. No developments or decisions were recorded during this brief recording segment.
President Nixon initiates a brief administrative request to the White House operator to be connected to a specific individual. The exchange serves as a routine logistical step to facilitate a subsequent communication. No substantive policy matters or major decisions were addressed during this short interaction.
President Nixon held a series of meetings with top advisors, including H.R. Haldeman, John Connally, and George Shultz, to discuss political messaging, economic strategy, and staff management. Key developments included a directive to stop administration officials from providing background briefings to the press and a decision to maintain a firm, non-conciliatory stance regarding the prosecution of Daniel Ellsberg. Additionally, the President and Connally strategized on the public communication of economic policy, with the President emphasizing the need for a strong, unified message that highlights economic growth while rejecting wage and price controls.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler reviewed the success of Treasury Secretary John Connally's recent performance as the administration's primary economic spokesperson. Ziegler confirmed that Connally effectively communicated the President's stance against wage and price controls and accelerated tax cuts while emphasizing economic recovery. The pair also discussed political strategy regarding public perception, the ongoing controversy surrounding the leaked Pentagon Papers, and the motivations of Daniel Ellsberg.
President Nixon held a brief meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified woman to review General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s professional schedule. The conversation focused on the logistical coordination of the General's upcoming commitments. No further records of the discussion exist, and the visitor departed shortly before the conclusion of the appointment.
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss an internal crisis at the FBI triggered by Director J. Edgar Hoover’s decision to transfer assistant director Chick Brennan for allegedly violating orders regarding the Daniel Ellsberg investigation. Haldeman warns that the move threatens to spark mass resignations among FBI leadership, prompting a debate over the balance between institutional discipline and effective management. The participants also briefly coordinate the President's upcoming schedule, including meetings with John Ehrlichman, Peter Peterson, and a group of YMCA Youth Governors.
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss the internal handling of the Daniel Ellsberg investigation and their concerns regarding J. Edgar Hoover’s management of the FBI. The President expresses anxiety that internal dissension within the Bureau, exacerbated by the Ellsberg case, could undermine the administration's political standing. Nixon ultimately decides to intervene by coordinating with Attorney General John Mitchell to regain control over the Bureau's direction and ensure the case is managed according to his preferences.
President Nixon and Attorney General John Mitchell discussed the necessity of preventing FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover from engaging in actions related to the Daniel Ellsberg case that could spark internal dissent or embarrass the Bureau. Nixon directed Mitchell to personally intervene with Hoover to ensure a united administrative front, emphasizing that protecting the Bureau's integrity and focusing on the prosecution of Ellsberg were paramount. Nixon authorized Mitchell to use his name to reinforce the importance of these instructions while maintaining a firm stance on the administration's commitment to the Ellsberg litigation.
President Nixon held a brief meeting with an unidentified individual to confirm the status of a specific, sensitive administrative or tactical task. The participants reached an agreement that the matter had been successfully completed, with the President emphasizing the strategic importance of ensuring the action was finalized. The conversation served primarily as a status update to verify that a particular objective had been executed.
President Nixon met with Peter G. Peterson to discuss broad economic strategies, focusing on trade imbalances with Japan, long-range economic planning, and the need for a tougher, more assertive administrative posture. They addressed the potential for unilateral trade actions to address deficits and debated the utility of government-backed industrial R&D projects to foster job growth. Additionally, they reviewed international trade negotiations, the status of U.S.-Soviet economic relations, and the recruitment of personnel for economic policy roles.
President Nixon met with Pennsylvania labor representatives Fred Gualtier, Frank DeLuca, Carmen Williams, and George T. Bell to cultivate support among the building trades. During the meeting, the participants discussed Pennsylvania politics, including the influence of state Republican chairman Clifford L. Jones and the gubernatorial administration of Milton J. Shapp. Nixon used the occasion to contrast the value of hard-working laborers with welfare recipients and to criticize Daniel Ellsberg. The President concluded the visit by presenting gifts to the group and emphasizing his commitment to the American labor movement.
President Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, and Peter G. Peterson met to discuss personnel appointments, including the potential recruitment of Marty Anderson, and strategic roles within the administration. The conversation focused on the internal structure of the White House, the need for a stronger, politically-minded economic team to support the administration, and the President's vision for long-term economic planning. Nixon explicitly requested that Peterson coordinate closely with John Connally and emphasized a long-term approach to economic policy over short-term political headlines.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met briefly to discuss adjustments to the President's daily schedule. The primary focus of the conversation involved coordinating meetings for Stephen B. Bull and his visitors, Mrs. Frank Mason and Mrs. Pam Bull. The discussion concluded with Butterfield facilitating the necessary arrangements for the guests' arrival.
President Nixon met with Stephen Bull, Mrs. Frank Mason, and Pam Bull in the Oval Office for a brief social visit. The encounter focused on facilitating a photo session with a White House photographer and the presentation of presidential gifts. The brief meeting concluded after the photographic arrangements were successfully coordinated.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to review a broad range of political, administrative, and scheduling matters, including the selection of a 1972 Republican National Convention site and potential outreach strategies involving Billy Graham. The discussion touched upon the management of various personnel appointments, the frustration surrounding unauthorized leaks from agencies like the State Department, and the necessity of maintaining political control over specific projects. Ultimately, the President and Haldeman moved toward a consensus on favoring San Diego for the convention and prioritized maintaining a disciplined, efficient public schedule to avoid being sidelined by unnecessary administrative entanglements.