Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 905 › Conversation 905-017

Nixon & Kleindienst on Watergate scandal and Tax policy

Thursday, April 26, 1973 · 12:16 PM–12:21 PM ET · Oval Office · 7 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kleindienst, Richard G.Conversation905-017 on Tape 905StartThursday, April 26, 1973 at 12:16 PMEndThursday, April 26, 1973 at 12:21 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 905-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Attorney General Richard G. Kleindienst to discuss tax policy resolutions and address ongoing legal concerns regarding the Watergate scandal. The two men reviewed the administration's stance on the investigation, emphasizing the need to demonstrate the lack of prior knowledge among senior officials. Additionally, they touched upon personnel matters within the Department of the Interior and coordinated future meetings to resolve pending departmental issues.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Um, how are you feeling this morning?
Fine.
Uh, oh great, just finished a two hour meeting on taxes.
Boy, that's a tough one.
Yeah, we've got to present our tax resolution for the meeting this Monday, so boy, do you think what you're doing is complicated.
You ought to get into that one.
There are about eighteen different things.
I started making connections a few years ago, so.
I know a little about it, but I don't know.
I could never even pass the first day's test today.
It changed so much.
All right.
I was just going to ask if you'd gotten that message to you last night.
Who did you talk to?
Neeson?
Right.
Right.
Right.
And what did they, what did they affect on you?
That's the problem.
That's the right thing to do.
And they, it's the right thing.
And of course the prosecutor is a Jew.
He himself is the best witness to the fact that it was, that he didn't know a damn thing about it.
Isn't that correct?
Nobody knew.
It was a damned, one of those damned dry holes.
Where is Glitter?
Oh boy.
All right.
I'm not sure if it's going in our group, I guess the one that's in the interior.
It's a waiter that's been working on it, isn't it?
And Garmin, right?
Who's, who's, who all, who?
There's been more department.
I'd like to talk to you about it, but I think if you would, you bring in with you whatever one you think will get me, you know, there, because I've got to know what the damn Indian Department thinks.
You know what I mean?
But your judgment is the one that will be decisive, I can assure you.
I know, yeah, yeah.
Ken is a superb fellow.
Cole is a superb fellow.
He gets everything in here to work.
But it's a conversation.
The only thing I'm concerned about is getting somebody killed.
And that aren't you.
I don't.
Other words, you can go in and call in and get them.
I got her.
Other words, you can go in and get them.
All right, off that.
Why not try it?
You can get in that car and then that's pretty good.
Put her on foot.
All right, off that.
Why not try it?
You can get in that car and then that's pretty good.
Put her on foot.
Well, you, you get a hold of, uh, of, uh, I, uh, well, well, you, you get a hold of, uh, of, uh, Steve, Nicole, Steve, Nicole, whenever, you know, you think it's the right day, and, uh, I'm available.
Whenever, you know, you think it's the right day, and, uh, I'm available.
You're dead.
Fine, fine.
All dead.
Dead.
Fine, fine.
All dead.

NARA Description

On April 26, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:16 pm and 12:21 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 905-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 905-17

Date: April 26, 1973
Time: 12:16 pm - 12:21 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with Richard G. Kleindienst.

[See Conversation No. 45-3]

Also recorded on April 26, 1973

  • 045-001 12:11 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:11 pm and 12:16 pm.
  • 045-002 12:11 PM · 15 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:11 pm and 12:16 pm.
  • 905-013 12:11 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:11 pm and 12:16 pm.
  • 905-014 12:11 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:11 pm and 12:16 pm.
  • 905-015 12:11 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:11 pm and 12:16 pm.
  • 905-016 12:11 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:11 pm and 12:16 pm.
  • 045-003 12:16 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone from 12:16 pm to 12:21 pm.
  • 045-004 12:21 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:21 pm and 12:23 pm.

All 73 conversations from April 26, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 905-017, April 26, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/905-017 (accessed October 5, 2026).