Nixon White House Tapes › Topic
Nixon Tapes on Vernon A. Walters
24 conversations · frequently with Nixon, Bull, Haig, Walters
These are conversations about Vernon A. Walters. For the 11 conversations Walters took part in, see Vernon A. Walters’s page →
When Vernon A. Walters comes up
Related topics: CIAWatergatePresidential schedulingExecutive privilegeWhite House operationsJohn D. EhrlichmanH. R. HaldemanAlexander HaigWhite House logisticsWhite House communicationsVietnam WarStephen B. BullRichard HelmsPresidential appointments
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to review the President’s daily schedule. The discussion focused on coordinating upcoming appointments with key figures, including Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters, Secretary of State William P. Rogers, and George W. Wilson. No major policy decisions were recorded during this brief administrative briefing.
President Nixon met with Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters to discuss regional military strategy and evaluate potential career assignments for Walters. The conversation focused on the progress of Operation Lam Son 719, particularly the strategic situation regarding the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the role of U.S. air support. Nixon explored various future deployment options for Walters, including potential roles within the White House, the Army, or the CIA under Director Richard Helms.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss military contingency plans for Vietnam, specifically addressing a potential North Vietnamese offensive and the timing of increased air strikes. They criticized Democratic presidential candidate Edmund Muskie for his public statements on the war, arguing that his rhetoric undermined ongoing peace negotiations and displayed a lack of responsibility. Additionally, the President directed Kissinger to push for the appointment of Vernon A. Walters as Deputy Director of the CIA, dismissing concerns from Richard Helms and Melvin Laird regarding the nomination.
On April 11, 1972, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:49 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 022-102 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to coordinate his daily agenda and logistical details regarding upcoming appointments. The discussion focused on scheduling arrangements for meetings with press photographer Oliver Atkins, First Lady Pat Nixon, and Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters. The pair finalized the sequence of these engagements to ensure the President's schedule remained organized throughout the afternoon.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to coordinate the arrival of Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters. The brief interaction served primarily to facilitate the logistical arrangements for the General's visit. No further substantive policy matters were recorded during this session.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed the leadership transition at the FBI following the death of J. Edgar Hoover, including the strategic timing of the official announcement. The conversation also touched upon the appointment of Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters to the CIA, focusing on his Senate confirmation prospects and personal loyalty. Nixon expressed concerns regarding the delay in managing the public announcement of Hoover's passing, tasking staff with expediting the process.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to coordinate administrative logistics regarding an upcoming appointment with Vernon A. Walters. The discussion centered on managing the President's schedule and ensuring the proper arrival protocols for Walters and his guest, Mrs. Laureen Jones. The brief interaction served as a logistical briefing to facilitate the President's immediate meetings.
President Nixon hosted a ceremony in the Oval Office for Vernon A. Walters to mark his promotion and official swearing-in as Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Joined by Walters's family, Judge Edward Tamm, and CIA Director Richard Helms, the President administered the oath of office and acknowledged Walters's 31 years of military service. The meeting concluded with a photography session and the distribution of presidential gifts to the attendees.
On June 21, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:26 pm and 12:28 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 025-101 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon instructed Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters to provide a confidential briefing to Federal Reserve Chairman Arthur F. Burns regarding Latin American political conditions. The briefing was intended to prepare Burns for his upcoming diplomatic trip to Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Venezuela. Walters agreed to coordinate with Burns to arrange the meeting at the latter's office later that afternoon.
On July 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 1:00 pm to 1:02 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 026-043 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon initiated this brief call to reach Deputy CIA Director Vernon A. Walters after discovering that CIA Director Richard Helms was unavailable. The primary purpose was to coordinate a forthcoming meeting regarding sensitive matters involving Soviet leadership and concerns over potential information leaks from the State Department. Nixon also signaled an intent to discuss the protection of the CIA and provided specific instructions to be relayed to relevant personnel.
President Nixon met with Deputy Director of the CIA Vernon A. Walters to discuss his adjustment to his new role within the intelligence agency. Nixon inquired about Walters' satisfaction with the position and instructed him to secure assistance in managing specific operational challenges. The conversation emphasized the President's desire for Walters to navigate these internal matters discreetly without unnecessary administrative oversight.
On May 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 2:11 pm to 2:12 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-005 of the White House Tapes.
On May 11, 1973, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 2:15 pm to 2:16 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-006 of the White House Tapes.
On May 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:16 pm and 2:24 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 434-015 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to discuss managing the ongoing Watergate investigation and coordinating the testimony of CIA Deputy Director Vernon Walters. Nixon emphasized that he wanted Walters to reassure officials like Elliot Richardson, William Colby, and James Schlesinger of the President’s innocence and his desire for a full investigation. The conversation centered on the potential legal exposure of H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, the status of sensitive memoranda of conversation, and ensuring the loyalty of key administration appointees amidst the political fallout.
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.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discuss the public reception of William D. Ruckelshaus's statement regarding FBI files recovered from John Ehrlichman's safe. They aim to frame the narrative to demonstrate that the White House was transparent rather than obstructive in handling these documents. Additionally, they monitor developments regarding John Dean's files currently under judicial review and prepare for upcoming testimony from General Vernon A. Walters.
President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler, Alexander Haig, and Leonard Garment to manage the administration's defensive response to ongoing Watergate investigations and emerging media scrutiny regarding the President's personal finances. The group discussed the legal and political implications of recent testimony from Lt. Gen. Vernon Walters, concerns regarding potential indictments of senior staff, and the management of sensitive documents related to the Huston Plan. Nixon emphasized maintaining a strategy of resilience, rejecting the idea of constant public rebuttals, while coordinating efforts to handle inquiries from the Ervin Committee and prosecutors without further damaging the presidency.
Alexander Haig briefed President Nixon on the handling of sensitive documents and the impending testimony of Lieutenant General Vernon Walters regarding the Watergate scandal. Haig coordinated a meeting with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. to prepare for Walters’s appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, aiming to manage the committee’s growing desire to distance themselves from the controversy. The participants agreed to discuss further details in person to avoid continued exposure over the telephone.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss ongoing Watergate pressures, focusing on the management of sensitive documents, potential witnesses, and the search for a new Special Prosecutor. They review the strategy for Lt. Gen. Vernon Walters’s testimony, emphasizing the assertion of national security privilege to withhold classified intelligence documents. Additionally, Nixon justifies the use of wiretaps to address leaks within the National Security Council and strategizes with Haig on how to maintain administrative operations while navigating these unfolding scandals.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig coordinate the preparation of a statement regarding the Watergate scandal, specifically focusing on the inclusion of details concerning the President's interactions with Louis Patrick Gray and Vernon A. Walters. The participants discuss whether J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. has sufficient information to draft these specific points and determine how to integrate them into the upcoming document. They agree to finalize their strategy during a planned 2:00 pm meeting, while remaining available for further consultation if new questions arise.