Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 854 › Conversation 854-034

Nixon, Rumsfeld & Bull on Rose Garden

Tuesday, February 13, 1973 · 1:04 PM–1:05 PM ET · Oval Office · 39 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rumsfeld, Donald H.; Bull, Stephen B.Conversation854-034 on Tape 854StartTuesday, February 13, 1973 at 1:04 PMEndTuesday, February 13, 1973 at 1:05 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 854-034 ↗

President Nixon met with Donald Rumsfeld to confirm his travel arrangements for a commercial flight to Europe, with specific attention paid to his departure schedule from National Airport. Following this logistical check, Stephen Bull joined the discussion to coordinate a photo opportunity for Rumsfeld in the Rose Garden. The meeting concluded with the participants preparing to head outside for the scheduled photographs before Rumsfeld's departure.

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On February 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Donald H. Rumsfeld, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:04 pm and 1:05 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 854-034 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 854-34

Date: February 13, 1973
Time: Unknown between 1:04 pm and 1:05 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Donald H. Rumsfeld.

       Rumsfeld’s schedule
             -Departure for Europe
             -Commercial flight
                            -Time
                            -National Airport

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time before 1:05 pm.

       Walk in Rose Garden
              -Photographs

The President, Rumsfeld, and Bull left at 1:05 pm.
                                            -47-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, sir.
You got a commercial?
Yes.
You have to be there on time.
How much time you got on the flight?
Well, I'm supposed to get a 2 o'clock flight to Nashville, so I'm here for a check.
Did you want that outside?
Yes.
Are you ready to shoot?
We'll take a walk in the garden.
Go down to the left-hand side.
The left-hand side.
There's a center to where it comes around to the rest of the right-hand side.
So you walk down to the left-hand side.
All right.
Well, are you all set?
I'm going to read this one here.
  • 854-028 12:45 PM · 52 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:45 pm to 12:46 pm.
  • 854-029 12:46 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 pm and 12:55 pm.
  • 854-030 12:46 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 pm and 12:55 pm.
  • 854-031 12:46 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 pm and 12:55 pm.
  • 854-032 12:46 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 pm and 12:55 pm.
  • 043-066 12:55 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 12:55 pm to 1:04 pm.
  • 854-033 12:55 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:55 pm to 1:04 pm.
  • 854-035 1:11 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Donald H. Rumsfeld, Manolo Sanchez, and Nicholas Rumsfeld met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:11 pm to 1:41 pm.

Conversation 854-034, February 13, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/854-034 (accessed November 15, 2026).