Watergate Whistleblower and Nixon Aide Alexander Butterfield Passes Away at 99
Alexander Butterfield, the White House aide whose revelation about the Oval Office taping system played a pivotal role in Richard Nixon’s resignation, has passed away at 99. His wife, Kim, along with John Dean, a key figure during the Watergate scandal, confirmed his death.
“He had the heavy responsibility of revealing something he was sworn to secrecy on,” Dean remarked, reflecting on Butterfield’s courage in disclosing the existence of the Nixon taping system. “He stood up and told the truth.”
As deputy assistant to the president from 1969 to 1973, Butterfield managed the taping system that included voice-activated devices hidden in several locations, notably Nixon’s office and Camp David. He later indicated that only a select few, including White House chief of staff H.R. Haldeman and a handful of Secret Service agents, were aware of this covert operation.
“Everything was taped … as long as the president was in attendance,” Butterfield testified under oath during preliminary investigations into Watergate.
The tapes would ultimately reveal Nixon’s involvement in the cover-up following the infamous 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. Facing imminent impeachment, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, shortly after the Supreme Court mandated he release the tapes.
Butterfield expressed mixed feelings about his role in Nixon’s downfall. “I didn’t like to be the cause of that,” he stated in a 2008 oral history for the Nixon Presidential Library, “but I felt that I was, in a lot of ways.”
A college acquaintance of Haldeman’s at UCLA, Butterfield joined Nixon’s administration after reaching out for opportunities. His responsibilities included serving as secretary to the Cabinet and overseeing White House operations.
After leaving the White House to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Butterfield was questioned by Senate staffers during their Watergate investigation. A seemingly innocuous inquiry about a taping system led to his public testimony on July 16, 1973, which shocked both supporters and critics of Nixon alike.
The revelation that all presidential conversations were recorded opened a treasure trove of evidence for investigators. The ensuing legal battle for access to these tapes culminated in a unanimous Supreme Court ruling in July 1974, compelling Nixon to surrender them.
The thousands of hours of recordings released over time have painted an unflattering portrait of Nixon, showcasing his volatile temperament and controversial views. “I just thought, ‘When they hear those tapes …’ I mean, I knew what was on these tapes … they’re dynamite,” Butterfield recalled. “I guess I didn’t foresee that the president might be put out of office or impeached.”
Following his departure from the FAA, Butterfield transitioned into a business career in California and earned a master’s degree from UC San Diego in 1994.
Born on April 6, 1926, in Pensacola, Florida, Butterfield’s early life included military service in both the Navy and Air Force. He retired as a colonel after two decades of service.
In later years, Butterfield did not shy away from criticizing Nixon. While acknowledging some of his foreign policy successes, he labeled him “not an honest man” and “a crook,” asserting that Nixon was aware of the Watergate break-in beforehand and orchestrated the subsequent cover-up.
On the day Nixon resigned, Butterfield felt a sense of relief. “I found myself cheering … just cheering,” he said. “Justice had prevailed.”
“I didn’t think that it would for a while,” he added. “This guy was the ringleader.”
