Alexander P. Butterfield

United States government official

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June 22, 2026

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Alexander P. Butterfield was a United States government official who served as the White House Appointments Secretary under President Richard Nixon. He is primarily known for his role in the Watergate scandal. Butterfield was the one who revealed the existence of a secret taping system in the Oval Office that recorded Nixon's conversations. This revelation was crucial in the investigation, as the tapes eventually implicated Nixon in the cover-up and led to his resignation. Butterfield himself was not directly implicated in the burglary but his testimony was pivotal.12

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Watergate scandal
The Ervin hearings
…his aides—until, on July 16, Alexander P. Butterfield, formerly of the White House staff, disclosed that all conversations in the president’s offices had secretly been recorded on tape.
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…his aides—until, on July 16, Alexander P. Butterfield, formerly of the White House staff, disclosed that all conversations in the president’s offices had secretly been recorded on tape.
Read More