Nixon White House Tapes › Topic
Nixon Tapes on Richard M. Helms
15 conversations · frequently with Nixon, Helms, Ehrlichman, Butterfield
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman held a brief, cryptic discussion regarding potential personnel changes involving CIA Director Richard M. Helms. The conversation centers on the administration's skepticism regarding Helms's ability to fulfill specific requirements or maintain a desired focus. No formal decision was finalized during this one-minute exchange.
President Nixon met with Alexander Butterfield to discuss the logistics of an upcoming engagement involving CIA Director Richard M. Helms. The brief exchange focused on coordinating the Director's return and ensuring the administration's readiness for a significant, unspecified event. The conversation emphasizes the President's reliance on Butterfield to manage the sensitivities and execution of this task.
President Nixon initiated a request to the White House operator to place an urgent call to Director of Central Intelligence Richard M. Helms. This brief exchange served solely as a logistical coordination to establish direct communication with the head of the CIA. No further substantive policy discussions occurred during this administrative connection.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator regarding how to relay a message to CIA Director Richard Helms, who was currently traveling. After learning that Helms was unreachable until later in the afternoon, the President decided against utilizing General Robert E. Cushman, Jr. as an intermediary. Instead, Nixon instructed the operator to inform Helms’s office that National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger would personally deliver the communication.
President Nixon initiates a request for the White House operator to connect him with CIA Director Richard M. Helms. This administrative interaction serves as the preliminary step to facilitate a direct communication between the President and the intelligence chief. The conversation concludes once the request has been placed.
President Nixon initiates a brief telephone request to the White House operator to be connected with CIA Director Richard Helms. This short exchange serves as the administrative bridge for a follow-up discussion between the President and the intelligence chief. No further substantive dialogue occurs during this specific recorded segment.
President Nixon initiated a brief administrative call via the White House operator to coordinate communication with CIA Director Richard M. Helms. The discussion focused on facilitating a conversation with Helms and referencing ongoing coordination with Henry Kissinger regarding matters to be presented to the President. These arrangements were made in anticipation of Nixon's upcoming travel to San Clemente.
President Nixon instructed the White House operator to facilitate communication with high-level intelligence officials during a brief telephone exchange. After failing to reach CIA Director Richard M. Helms, the President directed the operator to place a call to Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters instead. This interaction reflects the President's urgent effort to establish contact with intelligence leadership to address ongoing administrative or security matters.
President Nixon consulted with a White House operator and staff member Marjorie P. Acker to arrange a secure telephone call with CIA Director Richard M. Helms. The President emphasized strict security protocols, specifying that he only wished to speak with Helms if the communication line was secure and free from risks associated with the Director’s current travel status. The conversation concluded with the President instructing the operator to verify Helms's location and availability before initiating any contact.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to confirm the current whereabouts of CIA Director Richard Helms. Upon learning that Helms was traveling in Mexico and unavailable, Nixon instructed the operator to cancel a previously requested telephone call. This interaction served to update the President's schedule regarding his communication with intelligence leadership.
President Nixon initiated a brief telephone request through the White House operator to be connected with Richard M. Helms. The primary objective of the call was to facilitate immediate communication between the President and the outgoing Director of Central Intelligence. No further substantive policy matters were recorded during this connection process.
President Nixon consulted CIA Director Richard Helms regarding his upcoming appointment as Ambassador to Iran and his role in addressing the unstable situation surrounding Iranian oil. Nixon emphasized the need for Helms to exert broader influence over regional stability in the Persian Gulf, suggesting an early trip to the region despite Helms’s initial plans for a mid-March departure. Helms was instructed to consult with John Ehrlichman, Peter Flanigan, and John Connally to prepare for this mission, which aimed to consolidate U.S. interests and intelligence prior to an anticipated crisis.
President Nixon met with outgoing CIA Director Richard Helms to discuss Helms's upcoming ambassadorial appointment to Iran and to provide strategic guidance on global foreign policy. Nixon emphasized the importance of Helms applying his intelligence background to the critical issue of energy and oil production while maintaining a balanced, pragmatic approach to international relations. The two also addressed the challenges of managing global criticism of the U.S., regional security dynamics in the Persian Gulf, and the complex geopolitical task of negotiating a Middle East settlement between Israel and the Arab states.
President Nixon attempted to reach Richard M. Helms via the White House operator to discuss his availability. Upon learning that Helms was out for lunch, the President indicated there was no immediate urgency to the matter. The call concluded without further action or contact.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the administration’s strategy regarding Watergate-related documents, specifically focusing on the handling of memoranda of conversation (memcons) and the containment of information held by Vernon Walters and Richard Helms. They emphasize the necessity of maintaining a unified stance that no such records exist or will be released, framing this as a critical protection of presidential papers under the guise of national security. Furthermore, they coordinate efforts to contact L. Patrick Gray for testimony and confirm the preparation of additional materials by Leonard Garment for review at Camp David.