Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 717 › Conversation 717-006

Nixon & Woods on J. Edgar Hoover and Lyndon B. Johnson

Tuesday, May 2, 1972 · 11:04 AM–11:10 AM ET · Oval Office · 35 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose MaryConversation717-006 on Tape 717 (tape position 00:13:30–00:16:39)StartTuesday, May 2, 1972 at 11:04 AMEndTuesday, May 2, 1972 at 11:10 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 717-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, regarding the immediate need to notify former President Lyndon B. Johnson of J. Edgar Hoover’s passing prior to the official public announcement. Nixon instructed Woods to handle the incoming return call from Johnson if he remained unavailable, ensuring the former president learned the news directly from the administration. This coordination served to maintain protocol and personal courtesy regarding the death of the longtime FBI director.

Audio

Download MP3 · 1.3 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

I have called Johnson to inform you of the death of Dr. Hoover.

But, uh, well, it's just going to be announced in five minutes.

Now, he is not, he's out on the ranch with you, if you're running around, and will call back in five minutes, but I need you out in the room.

I told the operator that when he called back, if I were not in the office to put it through to you, that you inform him.

I told him the President knew how much he thought of Dr. Hoover and wanted him to know before the announcement was made, and I tried to reach him beforehand.

NARA Description

On May 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:04 am and 11:10 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 717-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 717-6

Date: May 2, 1972
Time: Unknown between 11:04 and 11:10 am
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with Rose Mary Woods.

     J. Edgar Hoover
          -President's call to Lyndon B. Johnson
                -Return call to Rose Mary Woods
          -Death
                -Announcement

Also recorded on May 2, 1972

023-105 10:55 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:55 am and 10:57 am.
717-002 10:55 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:55 am and 10:57 am.
023-106 10:57 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 10:57 am to 10:58 am.
717-003 10:57 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:57 am to 10:58 am.
717-004 10:58 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:58 am and 11:04 am.
023-108 11:04 AM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:04 am.
717-005 11:04 AM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:04 am.
717-007 11:10 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:10 am to 11:11 am.

All 67 conversations from May 2, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 717-006, May 2, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/717-006 (accessed October 10, 2026).