Nixon White House Tapes › Topic
Nixon Tapes on Declassification
20 conversations · frequently with Nixon, Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Ziegler
When Declassification comes up
Related topics: Pentagon PapersWatergatePublic relationsNational SecurityVietnam WarExecutive privilegeEconomic policyDaniel EllsbergWiretappingWhite House strategyLeaksHenry KissingerCongressional relationsWhite House press relations
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler reviewed public and media reaction to the ongoing publication of the Pentagon Papers, specifically focusing on the performance of New York Times publisher Arthur O. Sulzberger and commentary by Maxwell Taylor and Howard K. Smith. Ziegler briefed the President on potential administration strategies, including comparing the current leak to historical precedents regarding the declassification of intelligence, such as the World War II Japanese fleet movements. The two agreed to maintain their current course of action and wait for further assessments before determining additional responses.
On June 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:48 pm to 1:50 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 527-003 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon met with his senior advisors and Cabinet members to discuss managing the political and legal fallout of the Pentagon Papers release. The group strategized how to handle demands for document declassification and congressional access without appearing to capitulate to leakers or damaging the ongoing criminal prosecution of the New York Times. Nixon decided to distance himself from direct negotiations with congressional leaders, opting instead to have Secretaries Laird and Rogers manage the process through administrative channels, while firmly limiting the scope of declassification to prevent broader security compromises.
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and Henry Kissinger to strategize their public and political response to the leak of the Pentagon Papers and the ongoing Vietnam peace negotiations. Nixon emphasized a desire to appear dignified while shifting the burden of declassification to Congress, simultaneously plotting to expose the perceived duplicity of previous Democratic administrations. The President signaled a tough stance against Senate interference, warning that if negotiations with North Vietnam were derailed, he would prioritize a military escalation over a fixed withdrawal date.
John Ehrlichman, speaking on behalf of President Nixon, contacted Speaker of the House Carl Albert to relay details from the President's recent breakfast meeting with Senator Mike Mansfield regarding the Vietnam War. The administration offered to provide Congress with 47 volumes of Vietnam reports and a 1965 Tonkin Gulf study, which remained classified while undergoing a declassification review by Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird. The participants discussed the logistical challenges of secure document storage and the necessity for joint congressional leadership to determine the appropriate distribution and oversight of these sensitive materials.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss the administration's response to the Pentagon Papers, focusing on delegating a team to manage the declassification process while emphasizing that the documents originated during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Nixon stressed the importance of framing the leaks as a national security risk, using the argument that a single compromised document could reveal codes or endanger lives to justify the administration's legal stance. Additionally, they reviewed scheduling for the President’s upcoming Midwest trip and discussed the necessity of curbing internal leaks and exerting tighter control over White House and Congressional staff regarding policy recommendations.
President Nixon met with his senior advisors, including H.R. Haldeman, Henry Kissinger, John Mitchell, and Melvin Laird, to determine the administration's strategy following the Supreme Court's ruling allowing the publication of the Pentagon Papers. The President rejected the idea of broad declassification as a response to the court defeat, fearing it would appear like an admission that the government's classification system was worthless. Instead, he decided to maintain a hard line on the prosecution of Daniel Ellsberg, pursue investigations into potential leaks and conspiracies within the government, and direct his staff to target the Brookings Institution to recover classified materials.
President Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, and Alexander Butterfield met to discuss personnel and strategic planning for a new administration project focused on the systematic declassification of historical national security documents. The participants reviewed potential candidates to lead this effort, emphasizing the need for an individual with an aggressive, "bear-cat" personality capable of navigating institutional resistance from the CIA, Department of State, and Joint Chiefs of Staff. Additionally, the President and Haldeman briefly touched upon economic indicators, specifically unemployment targets, and expressed frustration regarding Arthur Burns's lack of cooperation.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger, H. R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and others to discuss sensitive foreign policy matters, specifically the Vietnam War negotiations and the status of U.S.-China relations. The participants evaluated propaganda efforts regarding the peace process and reviewed internal concerns about potential leaks and the handling of classified materials, including the Daniel Ellsberg case. Additionally, the President provided directives to staff regarding administrative scheduling and his desire to minimize unauthorized communication between the White House and the press.
President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, and John Ehrlichman coordinate the President's upcoming meeting with a group tasked with reviewing government classification systems. While Nixon expresses reluctance to dedicate significant time to the group due to his focus on critical matters involving Henry Kissinger, he ultimately agrees to a brief, ten-minute meeting. Ehrlichman is instructed to steer the group's agenda toward specific regional interests, such as Korea and Cuba, to maintain administrative control over their output.
President Nixon met with his senior advisors, John Ehrlichman and H. R. Haldeman, to discuss the ongoing political and legal fallout from the publication of the Pentagon Papers. The conversation focused on managing the administration's response, specifically coordinating congressional investigations into the leak and establishing an internal White House operation to manage security and document declassification. Beyond these legal strategies, the President reviewed administrative priorities including school desegregation funding, labor union relations, and preparations for his upcoming speech at the National Archives.
President Nixon, along with Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Dean, and Ziegler, discussed the timing and format of announcing a new economic program, including potential television speeches, wage and price freezes, and import taxes. They also reviewed Ehrlichman's recent press briefing on declassification efforts related to historical foreign policy events like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Pentagon Papers. A key decision point was whether to prioritize domestic economic measures or focus initially on international monetary stabilization by closing the gold window, with a preference emerging for the latter to manage international speculation and allow for a more positive domestic announcement later.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the administration's recent public communications strategy, specifically reviewing a positive report from Ronald Ziegler regarding a press conference led by John Ehrlichman. They also touch upon the issue of declassifying government documents and address diplomatic negotiations concerning textile trade agreements with Japan involving Attorney General John Mitchell. These discussions reflect the President's ongoing focus on managing administration critics and coordinating key domestic and foreign policy messaging.
President Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, and John Ehrlichman discussed the administration's strategy for releasing an expurgated version of the Pentagon Papers despite concerns raised by Henry Kissinger. The participants aimed to use the documents to turn the political narrative against the Democrats, ultimately deciding to proceed with the release while tasking Ehrlichman to coordinate with Richard Helms to declassify further sensitive intelligence records. Additionally, the group reviewed the staffing structure for the Council on International Economic Policy and finalized plans for the President's upcoming economic speech in Detroit.
President Nixon met with John S.D. Eisenhower and David R. Young, Jr. to discuss the Interagency Classification Review Committee's report on reducing classified materials. The conversation focused on the need to decrease the number of individuals with Top Secret clearance and access, the challenges of overclassification, and the importance of stricter penalties for security violations to prevent leaks. Nixon emphasized the administration's public goal of increased transparency while privately stressing the necessity of maintaining secrecy for national security and effective governance.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to coordinate White House strategy regarding the escalating Watergate investigations and the pressure for increased congressional cooperation. They discussed the political necessity of deflecting accusations of a cover-up, specifically exploring the possibility of offering informal, non-recorded testimony to committee members as a means of stalling or mitigating formal demands. Additionally, the President directed a focus on declassifying sensitive historical documents, such as those related to the Bay of Pigs, to influence public narrative and contrast current controversies with past administration actions.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig held a strategic discussion regarding the administration's defensive posture in the ongoing Watergate investigation. They reviewed the status of key witnesses, including L. Patrick Gray’s successor, FBI files, and the expected testimony of figures like John Dean and Vernon Walters. Furthermore, Nixon proposed declassifying decade-old national security records, such as those related to the Bay of Pigs and the death of Ngo Dinh Diem, as a diversionary tactic to generate favorable controversy and shift public focus away from Watergate.
President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler and Alexander Haig to formulate a public relations strategy to counter the ongoing Watergate scandal. The discussion focused on shifting public attention toward the previous Democratic administrations by highlighting missing FBI wiretap records from the Kennedy and Johnson eras. Nixon emphasized the importance of aggressive tactics, including the declassification of sensitive documents and the promotion of a narrative that the White House had fully cooperated with investigations into national security leaks.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discuss the development of a formal White House statement intended to provide a defense against ongoing Watergate allegations. The President emphasizes a strategy of aggressive public response, including challenging the credibility of committee witnesses and declassifying sensitive information from prior administrations to pressure political opponents. Throughout the call, Nixon reaffirms his commitment to fight the scandal rather than resign, citing national security concerns and the need to maintain public confidence in his leadership.
President Nixon directs Ronald Ziegler to coordinate a strategy involving Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott to demand the release of Kennedy and Johnson-era wiretap records. Nixon orders the immediate public disclosure of information regarding the Daniel Ellsberg break-in, insisting it be handled decisively despite potential political fallout. Additionally, Nixon instructs Ziegler to signal to Richard Helms that he intends to declassify sensitive materials related to the Bay of Pigs and the assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem, pressuring Helms to prepare for the imminent release of these records.