Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 530 › Conversation 530-006

Nixon, Haldeman & Bull on FBI and J. Edgar Hoover

Tuesday, June 29, 1971 · 10:57 AM–11:06 AM ET · Oval Office ·8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob");  Bull, Stephen B.Conversation530-006 onTape 530 (tape position 01:48:31–01:56:54)StartTuesday, June 29, 1971 at 10:57 AMEndTuesday, June 29, 1971 at 11:06 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 530-006 ↗

AI Summary

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.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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We've got a Mitchell calling in with a column J out here.
threw down the gauntlet to chick brennan who's the number three man in the fbi if you watch system director he hoover issued orders that nothing was to be done on the ellsberg case without his specific approval brennan without hoover's specific approval interviewed marks whether marks or you know the marks father-in-law and uh as a result of that hoover has ordered brennan
removed from his post and transferred to Cleveland where he used to get out of the Bureau.
As a result of that, all of the assistant directors of the Bureau are going to quit.
And the AGCU is that Hoover somehow has got to move back off his position.
And the question is,
So that he thinks, I guess the AG feels he ought to talk with you about it in return, how you want to go at it, because it may... What do you mean, AG?
Well, he'll handle it with Hoover, but it may escalate to you, and...
I can't believe this interview works.
Well, apparently, it's a disciplinary question, and he's overreacted on it.
And it's...
I think John has thought that this was...
And then it's to be in revolution and the Bureau is inevitable at some point.
And this is currently counted over.
I think Hoover's viewpoint probably will be that they've got to buy and disobey orders and that you can't tolerate it.
And disobeying orders at any point.
And that is probably the right place.
I'm sure we don't get to any of those cracks once we get in there.
Which I would say, I don't want to strike on this unless we really think about it.
You have to have discipline.
Hoover tried that.
I don't think he was right on his decision, but he's right on the discipline.
He told us not to go to shoot, but not.
Apparently the guy acted, you know, he didn't act in, he doesn't really act in a disobedience.
He feels he acted in a discipline.
Good judgment of how it needed to be done.
It's all right.
I'm not sure that she got it.
If all this is something Peterson asked for, I guess.
I think he, I think it was that he asked to see you just to check.
I'll check and see.
Don't worry.
I'll get you out.
I'll let you know.
Mm-hmm.
This is a Ute, National Ute.
Now that's just Ollie.
Now we've got press photo.
This is the press photo.
there's some thoughts here i don't say 15 minutes
I just need somebody other than me.
And I can see why.
They don't have any laws.
Our people don't have no laws.
You know, some of the guys, you don't really, they don't go in and crack, you can't go.
George, you can't go, you know what I mean?
You just can't.
Sometimes it just goes to you.
You don't get it.
You don't get it.
You don't get it.
Ladies and gentlemen, the President.

NARA Description

On June 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:57 am to 11:06 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 530-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 530-6

Date: June 29, 1971
Time: 10:57 am - 11:06 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     President's schedule
          -National Commission on Productivity
                 -George P. Shultz

     Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
          -John D. Ehrlichman
               -Call from John N. Mitchell
               -Call from J. Edgar Hoover
                      -Chick Brennan
                      -Hoover's instructions on Daniel Ellsberg case
                      -Brennan's interview of Louis Marx
                      -Brennan's transfer
                      -Assistant Directors impending resignations
          -Mitchell
               -Views
               -Forthcoming conversation with Hoover
          -Morale
          -Discipline
               -Brennan's actions

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:57 am.
                                                16

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                          Tape Subject Log
                                            (rev. 10/08)



     President's schedule
          -John D. Ehrlichman
          -Peter G. Peterson meeting

Bull left at an unknown time before 11:06 am.

          -National Young Men’s Christian Association [YMCA]
                -Youth Governors Conference delegates
                     -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
                     -Press photograph
                     -Length of visit
     White House personnel
          -Shultz
          -Paul W. McCracken

Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:57 am.

     Schedule
          -Ehrlichman
          -YMCA
                -Remarks

The President, et al. left at 11:06 am.

Also recorded on June 29, 1971

  • 530-004 10:47 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:47 am and 10:57 am.
  • 530-005 10:47 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:47 am and 10:57 am.
  • 006-020 11:22 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:22 am.
  • 006-021 11:22 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 11:22 am to 11:27 am.
  • 530-007 11:22 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:22 am.
  • 530-008 11:22 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:22 am to 11:27 am.
  • 006-022 11:27 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:27 am and 2:28 pm.
  • 261-025 11:27 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:27 am and 2:28 pm.

All 54 conversations from June 29, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 530-006, June 29, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/530-006 (accessed September 18, 2026).