Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 577
Nixon White House Tape 577 (September 20, 1971)
16 conversations · Oval Office
Featuring Nixon, Kissinger, Haldeman, Butterfield, Ziegler
President Nixon met with leaders of the U.S. Jaycees, including President Ronald G. S. Au, to discuss the organization's role in supporting his domestic and foreign policy agenda. The conversation focused heavily on the President’s upcoming diplomatic initiative with the People’s Republic of China, the status of Taiwan in the United Nations, and broader U.S. foreign relations. Au, who planned to visit Taiwan, received guidance on maintaining positive international ties while the President emphasized the importance of pragmatic diplomacy and communication with major world powers.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate scheduling and communication logistics. The brief discussion focused on arranging a meeting with Arthur F. Burns and facilitating a telephone call for Attorney General John N. Mitchell regarding the timing of the President’s appearance with Miss America contestants. Additionally, the President initiated a follow-up call to William E. Walk, Jr.
President Nixon met with John Mitchell and Arthur Burns to discuss a range of sensitive political and economic issues, including potential Supreme Court appointments following Justice John Harlan's resignation and the administration's international economic strategy. The participants evaluated the challenges of currency realignment, the gold standard, and U.S. negotiating positions ahead of upcoming international meetings with central bankers and finance ministers. Additionally, they addressed the implementation of the administration's post-freeze 'Phase II' economic policies and the importance of securing labor cooperation to maintain public support for these initiatives.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield in the Oval Office to discuss the handling and organization of specific documents. The brief conversation focused on the contents and management of a briefcase containing sensitive materials. No further details regarding the nature of these documents were established during the short session.
President Nixon and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger met in the Oval Office to consult on pressing foreign policy matters and administrative scheduling. The discussion focused on coordinating upcoming executive priorities and managing diplomatic communications. The meeting served as a brief strategy session to align the President and his advisor on current international affairs.
President Nixon held a brief administrative interaction with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. The discussion was limited to logistical coordination for establishing a connection to another party. No substantive policy matters or major political decisions occurred during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and Henry Kissinger to navigate a complex array of domestic and foreign policy priorities, including Supreme Court nominations, upcoming economic press conferences, and the management of Vice President Agnew's public relations. The discussion heavily emphasized foreign strategy, particularly regarding Vietnam negotiations, the logistics of Nixon’s forthcoming summit in the People’s Republic of China, and international economic tensions involving currency flotation and Japanese textile quotas. The participants sought to coordinate a unified administration position on economic policy and military air strikes while ensuring that bureaucratic infighting did not undermine their primary diplomatic objectives.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler held a brief meeting to coordinate administrative scheduling and communications strategy. The discussion centered on aligning the President's upcoming availability with National Security Council meetings and legislative matters in the Senate. The participants concluded with an intent to finalize these logistical arrangements in the following week.
United States Secret Service agents and unidentified individuals gathered in the Oval Office to discuss the President’s location, specifically noting his presence in the Cabinet Room. The remainder of the conversation is largely unintelligible, consisting of repetitive, fragmented exchanges in Welsh that appear unrelated to substantive policy or executive decision-making. No significant actions or policy developments resulted from this brief, largely indistinct interaction.
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman met to coordinate media strategy and assess the political fallout from the President's recent trip to Detroit, where he faced significant labor-led demonstrations. They discussed managing upcoming television appearances and public relations regarding the administration's economic policies, specifically Phase II initiatives and a pending announcement by John B. Connally. Additionally, they reviewed the health condition of Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black and the potential implications of a personal visit from the President.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to coordinate a response to a call from Edward J. Dwyer. The discussion focused on drafting a reply to Dwyer and evaluating the necessity of sending a personal note from the President. This administrative meeting centered on managing external correspondence and determining appropriate executive communication protocols.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to coordinate the schedule and activities of Treasury Secretary John B. Connally. The discussion focused on Connally's recent engagements and the logistical arrangements surrounding his ongoing policy work. No major policy shifts were recorded, but the exchange emphasized the internal administrative alignment between the White House and the Treasury Department.
President Nixon interacts with a White House operator to facilitate an outgoing telephone connection. The brief exchange serves as a logistical bridge to connect the President to another party. No substantive policy discussions or administrative decisions are recorded during this operational call.
President Nixon, Charles Colson, and Henry Kissinger met to discuss the strategic timing of military actions in Vietnam, the upcoming PRC summit, and the influence of these events on international negotiations and domestic political stability. The discussion emphasized leveraging air strikes against enemy supply lines, particularly in Cambodia, to apply pressure on North Vietnam. Kissinger and Nixon also analyzed how the 1972 election cycle might impact the willingness of North Vietnam and the Soviet Union to engage in serious diplomatic agreements.
President Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, and Ron Ziegler met to strategize the management of the President's public image and upcoming media appearances, specifically focusing on press coverage of a scheduled trip to Detroit. The conversation included a review of recent Gallup and White House polling data, debates over the efficacy of live versus filmed media formats, and the potential impact of economic policy announcements. Additionally, they discussed upcoming Supreme Court appointments and the political benefits of nominating a conservative candidate to pressure the Senate.
Unnamed Secret Service agents engaged in a discussion within the Oval Office involving cryptic, repetitive remarks concerning political, religious, and institutional matters. Despite the inclusion of incoherent or redacted elements, the dialogue centers on concerns regarding university environments and broader organizational dynamics. No clear administrative decisions or actionable outcomes are evident from the fragmentary exchange.