Alexander Butterfield, Nixon Aide Who Revealed Watergate Tapes, Dies at 99

Butterfield's disclosure of Nixon's secret taping system hastened the president's resignation.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Alexander Butterfield, the White House aide who revealed that President Richard Nixon had secretly recorded his conversations, leading to the Watergate scandal and Nixon's resignation, has died at the age of 99. Butterfield, who served as a deputy assistant to Nixon from 1969 to 1973, disclosed the existence of Nixon's taping system during testimony before the Senate Watergate Committee in 1973, a revelation that ultimately led to the president's downfall.

Why it matters

Butterfield's disclosure of the taping system was a pivotal moment in the Watergate scandal, providing investigators with a trove of evidence that exposed Nixon's role in the cover-up. The tapes would eventually force Nixon to resign in 1974 to avoid impeachment, marking a significant moment in American political history.

The details

As a deputy assistant to the president, Butterfield oversaw the taping system connected to voice-activated listening devices that had been secretly placed in four locations, including Nixon's office and the presidential retreat at Camp David. Butterfield later said that, besides himself and the president, he believed that only White House chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, a Haldeman assistant, and a handful of Secret Service agents knew about the taping system.

  • Butterfield served as a deputy assistant to Nixon from 1969 to 1973.
  • On July 13, 1973, Butterfield revealed the existence of the taping system during private questioning by Senate committee staffers.
  • On July 16, 1973, Butterfield's public testimony about the taping system stunned Nixon's friends and foes alike.
  • In July 1974, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Nixon had to surrender the relevant tapes to the Watergate special prosecutor.
  • Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, less than a month after the Supreme Court's ruling.

The players

Alexander Butterfield

A White House aide who served as a deputy assistant to President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1973. Butterfield revealed the existence of Nixon's secret taping system, a pivotal moment in the Watergate scandal.

Richard Nixon

The 37th President of the United States, whose secret taping system was exposed by Butterfield, leading to Nixon's resignation to avoid impeachment.

H.R. Haldeman

Nixon's White House chief of staff, who was one of the few people besides Butterfield and Nixon himself who knew about the taping system.

John Dean

Nixon's former White House counsel, who testified about his belief that a conversation he had with Nixon may have been recorded, prompting the questioning that led to Butterfield's revelation.

Gerald Ford

The 38th President of the United States, who Butterfield believed fired him as FAA administrator in 1975 as part of an agreement worked out between the Nixon and Ford staff members.

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What they’re saying

“He had the heavy responsibility of revealing something he was sworn to secrecy on, which is the installation of the Nixon taping system. He stood up and told the truth.”

— John Dean, Former White House Counsel

“I just thought, 'When they hear those tapes …' I mean, I knew what was on these tapes … they're dynamite. I guess I didn't foresee that the president might be put out of office or impeached, but I thought it would be a perilous few years for him. I guess I couldn't conceive of (Nixon) being forced out of office. It had never happened before.”

— Alexander Butterfield (Nixon Presidential Library)

The takeaway

Butterfield's revelation of Nixon's secret taping system was a pivotal moment in the Watergate scandal, providing investigators with crucial evidence that ultimately led to the president's resignation. This case highlights the importance of government transparency and the role of whistleblowers in exposing wrongdoing at the highest levels of power.