Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 918 › Conversation 918-031

Nixon with unidentified visitors in the Oval Office on Haile Selassie

Tuesday, May 15, 1973 · 8:38 AM–8:42 AM ET · Oval Office · 38 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); [Unknown person(s)]Conversation918-031 on Tape 918StartTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 8:38 AMEndTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 8:42 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 918-031 ↗

President Nixon met with individuals, potentially including General Brent Scowcroft, to coordinate the logistics and formal arrangements for the upcoming state visit of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. The discussion focused on essential protocol and security preparations required for the diplomatic event. The conversation concluded abruptly before further substantive policy matters could be addressed.

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On May 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:38 am and 8:42 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 918-031 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 918-31

Date: May 15, 1973
Time: Unknown between 10:45 am and 11:07 am
Location: Oval Office

Unknown men met.

     Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft [?]

     Preparations for Haile Selassie’s visit

The tape cut off an unknown time before 11:07 am.
  • 918-001 7:50 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 7:50 am and 8:10 am.
  • 918-002 7:50 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 7:50 am and 8:10 am.
  • 918-006 8:10 AM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:10 am to 8:35 am.
  • 918-007 8:36 AM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:36 am to 8:37 am.
  • 918-008 8:38 AM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:38 am and 8:42 am.
  • 918-009 8:38 AM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:38 am and 8:42 am.
  • 918-030 8:38 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Nellie L. Yates, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:38 am and 8:42 am.
  • 121-001 8:42 AM · 58 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Republican Congressional leaders, including Herbert Stein, John T. Dunlop, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, John G. Tower, Norris Cotton, Wallace F. Bennett, William E. Brock, III, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, John B. Anderson, William J. ("Jack") Edwards, John J. Rhodes, Barber B. Conable, Jr., Robert C. ("Bob") Wilson, David T. Martin, Samuel L. Devine, George H. W. Bush, Roy L. Ash, John D. Ehrlichman, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., William E. Timmons, Richard K. Cook, Thomas C. Korologos, Ronald L. Ziegler, Clifford P. Hansen, Henry L Bellmon, Marlow W. Cook, Dewey F. Bartlett, Delwin M. Clawson, Burt L. Talcott, Harold R. Collier, and Albert W. Johnson, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 8:42 am to 9:38 am.

Conversation 918-031, May 15, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/918-031 (accessed October 1, 2026).