Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 530 › Conversation 530-008

Nixon & Mitchell on Daniel Ellsberg and J. Edgar Hoover

Tuesday, June 29, 1971 · 11:22 AM–11:27 AM ET · Oval Office · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Mitchell, John N.Conversation530-008 on Tape 530 (tape position 01:58:09–02:03:37)StartTuesday, June 29, 1971 at 11:22 AMEndTuesday, June 29, 1971 at 11:27 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 530-008 ↗

AI Summary

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.

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Go ahead.
So, John, the way I feel about this case is that, firstly, in terms of this, I don't know who was right, in terms of his decision was wrong, you know what I mean, about not questioning Mark's personal considerations, but in terms of our overall situation, he just cannot, and I really feel that you have to tell him this, he cannot, with Michael and Mark, to address the FBI graduation.
And also, with the Ellsberg case being the issue, he cannot take anything which causes dissension within the FBI ranks.
It just kind of raves, holy hell.
They'll say this crotchety old man did it again, you see.
That's how he did it.
Yeah?
Well, I'll tell you what I'd like to do.
Why don't you just say that I, it came to my attention when I heard about it, that I feel very strongly, and I'll be glad to talk to you about it, but I feel, I understand that this is a binary thing, but I think the primary consideration is we must not have anything with regard to Ellsberg to reflect on Edgar Hoover, and he just has got to find a way to handle it.
It's not good to do that.
Just tell him that, and if it's needed for me to call, I'll back it up.
I'll back it up.
You tell him, but you tell him, I told the president, look, Edgar, he doesn't want to embarrass you in this very matter.
He's a rude director, but he feels very strongly.
He's coming over there to the FBI.
After all, he knows that this is going to support him, but he feels very strongly that we must not have the Ellsberg thing.
be a reason for the sanction of the Bureau, that could raise holy hell.
Could that be all right?
I want to try.
Right?
Yeah.
I mean, that's an honor to be running.
I'm ready to talk to him.
But, absolutely.
But, he just, I just don't, I just say that we've got to keep our eye on the main ball.
The main ball is Ellsberg.
We've got to get this on our pitch.
And, uh,
And, you know, I was talking to somebody over here yesterday, you know, about the ER, and I said, well, maybe we ought to drop the case if the Supreme Court doesn't just disband and so forth.
And I said, hell no.
I mean, you can't do that.
You can't be in a position of having, as I said this morning, we can't be in a position of ever allowing
It's just because some guy's going to be a minor of the line, probably to get away with this kind of wholesale thievery, or otherwise it's going to happen all over the government.
Don't you agree?
That's right.
But let me say too, don't figure the PR is too bad either.
It can turn around the other way.
People don't like people that are thieves.
Yeah?
If you will handle it, but I'll be here if I need it.
It's very important not to allow anything.
We've got to have a united front on Ellsworth.
That's the main thing.
Do you think that can work with him or not?
All right.
Yeah, just say that I heard about it and I'm coming over to make this strong statement.
Okay, fine by me.

NARA Description

On June 29, 1971, 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. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 530-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 530-8

Date: June 29, 1971
Time: 11:22 am - 11:27 am

Location: Oval Office

The President talked with John N. Mitchell.

[See Conversation No. 6-21]

                                                         Conv. No. 530-15/531-25 (cont.)

Also recorded on June 29, 1971

  • 530-006 10:57 AM · 8 min — 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 530-009 11:27 AM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:27 am and 11:30 am.
  • 530-010 11:30 AM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Peter G. Peterson, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:30 am to 12:01 pm.

All 54 conversations from June 29, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 530-008, 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/530-008 (accessed October 5, 2026).