Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 920
Nixon White House Tape 920 (May 16, 1973 – May 17, 1973)
15 conversations · Oval Office · about 2 hr 4 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Haig, Buzhardt, Shultz, Sanchez
President Nixon and Treasury Secretary George Shultz met to discuss the management of the national economy and the public perception of the administration’s Phase III wage and price controls. Shultz argued that Phase III should be viewed as a flexible administrative process rather than a static system, noting that progress was being made in wage bargaining with major unions like the Teamsters. Nixon affirmed his skepticism toward dramatic interventions, such as a price freeze, and emphasized his commitment to achieving a balanced budget for fiscal year 1974 as a key economic priority.
President Nixon held a brief meeting with an unidentified individual to coordinate logistical arrangements for his upcoming schedule. The discussion focused on establishing timing expectations for an appearance or appointment later that evening. The participants concluded the exchange after confirming the President’s anticipated arrival time.
President Nixon met with Alexander Haig and J. Fred Buzhardt to discuss the potential fallout from the 'Huston Plan,' a controversial domestic intelligence program. The participants assessed the extent to which the plan was implemented and whether any illegal activities, such as domestic wiretapping or the break-in of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office, could be legally linked to it. Nixon directed his team to gather facts from intelligence agencies while simultaneously attempting to keep the sensitive documents out of the hands of the Ervin Committee, fearing that public exposure would lead to a damaging narrative of a massive government conspiracy.
President Nixon directed Alexander Haig to contact H.R. Haldeman regarding his recent meeting with Richard Helms, Vernon Walters, and John Ehrlichman. Nixon expressed frustration over the perception of a cover-up and instructed Haig to reassure Haldeman that their actions were based on presidential directives to investigate the matter. The discussion highlights Nixon’s effort to manage the fallout of the Watergate scandal by ensuring his staff remained firm in their defense against the ongoing investigation.
President Nixon held a brief meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual to discuss his personal schedule and administrative logistics. The conversation included a reference to a note intended for First Lady Pat Nixon and a mention of Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The exchange remained cursory and did not result in any substantive policy decisions or significant developments.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler met to discuss the potential political damage associated with the disclosure of documents related to the 1970 "Huston Plan" for internal security. Nixon emphasized that the Huston Plan was a distinct interagency effort regarding riot control and should be separated from unrelated controversies like the Watergate break-in, the Plumbers' activities, and FBI wiretapping. They examined the necessity of keeping these operations legally and publically compartmentalized to mitigate potential criticism from civil libertarians and Senator Sam Ervin.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull and an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to discuss administrative logistics and the President's schedule. During the brief encounter, the participants addressed the handling of a briefcase and discussed the health status of the unknown visitor. The exchange concluded with refreshments and arrangements regarding the individual's upcoming schedule.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to inquire about the current whereabouts of J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. The discussion focused on locating Buzhardt, who served as a key legal advisor during the Watergate investigation. No significant policy decisions were reached during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt discussed the status of the "Huston Plan," specifically seeking evidence that the controversial intelligence program had been formally rescinded or terminated. They aimed to locate documentation of its termination to distance the White House from the plan and counter potential allegations that it provided a legal "cover" for the Watergate break-in. Nixon and Buzhardt speculated that John W. Dean may have attempted to use the document as a retroactive justification for his actions, and they agreed to coordinate with intelligence agencies to establish a clear record of the plan's cancellation.
President Nixon held an brief, informal meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual regarding his schedule. The conversation centered on logistics concerning Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and Ronald L. Ziegler. No significant policy decisions were recorded during this interaction.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to strategize a defense against potential political damage stemming from the Watergate investigation, specifically focusing on the 1970 Huston Plan. They debated how to frame the plan—which authorized aggressive domestic surveillance tactics like surreptitious entry—as a necessary, albeit unimplemented, contingency response to civil unrest by radical groups. The participants aimed to distance the President from any association between the Huston Plan and the Watergate burglary while planning to utilize J. Fred Buzhardt to coordinate with relevant figures like Robert Mardian and clarify that the program was superseded and never operational.
President Nixon held a brief, undocumented meeting or telephone call with an unidentified individual late in the evening. Given the lack of surviving transcript content and the extremely short duration of the recording, the specific subject matter remains unknown. No policy decisions, actionable items, or substantive developments can be verified from this interaction.
President Nixon met with Alexander Haig and J. Fred Buzhardt to strategize their defense against emerging congressional inquiries related to the Watergate scandal and past national security operations. The participants focused on establishing that a controversial domestic intelligence plan—which had been recommended to the President—was formally suspended by White House officials shortly after its approval. They determined that they should let the Ervin Committee overreach on this issue, planning to use the resulting national security arguments to discredit the committee’s investigation while preparing witnesses to testify that the proposed operation was never implemented.
Secret Service agents and unidentified individuals convened in the Oval Office for a brief, undocumented interaction. The session lacked substantive dialogue, consisting primarily of routine social pleasantries. No policy decisions, strategic developments, or notable administrative actions were recorded during the exchange.
Due to the lack of available transcript data and participant identification, the substance of this meeting remains unknown. The recording reflects a brief interaction involving unidentified men in the Oval Office before their departure prior to 9:33 pm. No verifiable policy decisions, strategic discussions, or administrative action items can be extracted from the archival record.