Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 531-013
Date: Monday, June 28, 1971 at 4:56 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/531-013

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] One thing I ordered immediately is to cut off Brookings Institution from all declassified stuff.
[0:12] Is that clear?
[0:12] All right, get that done.
[0:13] I want Brookings to start with Brookings and then Rand.
[0:16] Just get around.
[0:17] I'm just going to stop.
[0:18] I think this study is very imperative, Henry, on a very speedy basis.
[0:24] I have a whole lot of study that takes a month.
[0:27] I've got to have a very little quick mind to do this.
[0:28] Everything's going to work, too.
[0:30] I'll get down, I'm going to get an arbitrary order, and I'm not going to cram around.
[0:38] We have pretty shitty things that I've ordered around here.
[0:42] Arbitrary order.
[0:45] If there are a thousand people that have turned us into top secret documents around the world, they're going to be reduced by 90%.
[0:49] Is that clear?
[0:50] 90%.
[0:51] And that means embassies abroad, everybody else, it will be accompanied by a directive.
[0:55] In other words, I want more character in what we classify so that they get it.
[1:05] But I am not going to have every clerk in this government reading what is really top secret.
[1:08] I hope you agree that this has to be done.
[1:11] But you can see my point.
[1:16] We're moving on the one side.
[1:22] But I really don't know.
[1:23] Brokings ought to be cut off.
[1:25] They're over there just sitting and putting their knives.
[1:26] You just cut them off.
[1:27] And we've got, Henry, we've got a perfect excuse.
[1:30] This is a bonanza for us.
[1:32] We cut off brokings.
[1:32] I want the council board relations cut off.
[1:34] All their people.
[1:35] And I want the grant preparation cut off.
[1:37] I want MIT cut off.
[1:37] I'm really going to get rough on this thing.
[1:38] I want to know every outsider that has this sort of clearance.
[1:40] We're going to chop them all off.
[1:41] You and our friends are going to come.
[1:49] You understand?
[1:50] You can't do that.
[1:52] Yeah, yeah.
[1:52] You know, we'll do it with our friends, too, so that nobody can steal it.
[1:54] And let them stream.
[1:55] If they're on the fire, I guess we've got to leave one, but I hate to leave that screwball from California on there.
[2:00] He acts too much.
[2:02] But you see what I mean?
[2:03] Yeah.
[2:03] But listen, in state and defense, the number that they can clear for cloud secret is going to go down so sharply, it'll make their heads sling.
[2:11] Okay.