H. R. Haldeman was one of President Richard Nixon’s closest White House aides and served as the president’s chief administrative assistant and chief of staff during the period covered by the Nixon Library’s Haldeman files.
The selected records below focus on Haldeman’s place in the Watergate chronology, including recorded White House conversations, the developing cover-up investigation, his departure from the White House and later legal proceedings.
The record cards below are rendered directly in this page’s HTML. They are selected from the World History Database Watergate dataset; the source links beneath each record group provide authoritative context for the chronology.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 28-minute White House recording numbered 491-014; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
Reference context for this record group: Richard Nixon Presidential Library — H. R. Haldeman files · Richard Nixon Presidential Library — Watergate trial tapes · National Archives — Watergate chronology
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 25-minute White House recording numbered 697-015; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and Charles Colson in the 46-minute White House recording numbered 697-029; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
Meets with Nixon three days after the break-in in a conversation whose recording later becomes notorious for an eighteen-and-a-half-minute gap.
Discusses with Nixon a plan for CIA officials to ask the FBI to limit inquiries into funding connected with the Watergate burglars.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and Ronald Ziegler in the 23-minute White House recording numbered 343-036; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and Ronald Ziegler in the 54-minute White House recording numbered 741-002; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
Discusses reports concerning Martha Mitchell's contacts with the press and the political repercussions surrounding her public statements.
Reviews campaign politics, busing and appearances by leading presidential contenders while meeting with Nixon in the early Watergate period.
Discusses the timing of revenue-sharing legislation and other congressional business during a White House meeting after the Watergate burglary.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Mitchell in the 3-minute White House recording numbered 347-004; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
Reference context for this record group: Richard Nixon Presidential Library — H. R. Haldeman files · Richard Nixon Presidential Library — Watergate trial tapes · National Archives — Watergate chronology
Discusses with Nixon the developing Senate Watergate investigation, John Dean's activities, minority counsel arrangements and possible White House responses.
Reviews the role of Senator Howard Baker's minority counsel, including Fred Thompson, as the Senate Watergate investigation takes shape.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Dean in the 69-minute White House recording numbered 878-014; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Dean in the 33-minute White House recording numbered 882-012; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 4-minute White House recording numbered 884-007; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Dean in the 111-minute White House recording numbered 886-008; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
Discusses with Nixon the possible use of campaign contributions for Watergate defendants and the risk that such payments could appear to obstruct justice.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 106-minute White House recording numbered 422-020; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon, John Ehrlichman, and Ronald Ziegler in the 109-minute White House recording numbered 423-003; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
Reviews executive-privilege questions, the Ervin Committee and possible White House responses to inquiries about Dean and Watergate.
Discusses possible forums for answering Watergate accusations, including the Senate Ervin Committee and anticipated questions.
Discusses the timing and possible effect of a public statement by Haldeman before the opening of the Senate Watergate hearings.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 12-minute White House recording numbered 038-034; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Ehrlichman in the 57-minute White House recording numbered 428-028; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Ehrlichman in the 47-minute White House recording numbered 896-004; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Ehrlichman in the 18-minute White House recording numbered 038-042; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Dean in the 12-minute White House recording numbered 897-009; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Ehrlichman in the 94-minute White House recording numbered 429-003; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and Rose Mary Woods in the 11-minute White House recording numbered 898-006; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon, Ronald Ziegler, and John Ehrlichman in the 43-minute White House recording numbered 898-023/899-001; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 15-minute White House recording numbered 038-125; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 16-minute White House recording numbered 903-001; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 22-minute White House recording numbered 903-006; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
Records a call from Vice President Spiro Agnew concerning how to respond publicly to Watergate as pressure on the administration continues.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 8-minute White House recording numbered 038-156; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon and John Ehrlichman in the 150-minute White House recording numbered 430-004; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon, John Ehrlichman, and Ronald Ziegler in the 309-minute White House recording numbered 431-009; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
Resigns as White House Chief of Staff as the Watergate investigation reaches Nixon's senior aides.
H. R. Haldeman appears with Richard Nixon in the 1-minute White House recording numbered 039-083; the Watergate Special Prosecution Force later included the recording in its transcript collection.
The White House discloses an eighteen-and-a-half-minute gap in the June 20, 1972 Nixon-Haldeman recording, a conversation made three days after the Watergate break-in.
The White House reports missing subpoenaed recordings and an eighteen-and-a-half-minute gap in the June 20, 1972 Nixon-Haldeman conversation.
Woods demonstrates how she says she could have accidentally erased part of a presidential recording while operating transcription equipment and reaching for a telephone.
Reference context for this record group: Richard Nixon Presidential Library — H. R. Haldeman files · Richard Nixon Presidential Library — Watergate trial tapes · National Archives — Watergate chronology
Former White House Counsel John Dean had taken a plea bargain back in October.
Haldeman, former Nixon aide John Ehrlichman, former White House counsel Charles Colson, White House Aide to Haldeman Gordon C.
Nixon was named an "unindicted co-conspirator" by the grand jury.
Is indicted by the Watergate grand jury for alleged participation in the conspiracy and cover-up following the Democratic headquarters burglary.
Reference context for this record group: Richard Nixon Presidential Library — H. R. Haldeman files · Richard Nixon Presidential Library — Watergate trial tapes · National Archives — Watergate chronology
Is convicted in the Watergate cover-up trial of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and perjury.
Receives a prison sentence of two and a half to eight years following his Watergate cover-up conviction; the sentence is later reduced on appeal.
Reference context for this record group: Richard Nixon Presidential Library — H. R. Haldeman files · Richard Nixon Presidential Library — Watergate trial tapes · National Archives — Watergate chronology
Publishes the memoir The End of Power, coauthored with Joseph DiMona, recounting his White House experience and the Watergate period.
Reference context for this record group: Richard Nixon Presidential Library — H. R. Haldeman files · Richard Nixon Presidential Library — Watergate trial tapes · National Archives — Watergate chronology
The explanatory text and major chronology on this page were cross-checked against the following institutional sources. Individual database records may contain additional detail from the wider World History Database dataset.