Elvis Presley Meets President Richard Nixon | December 21, 1970

On December 21, 1970, Elvis Presley paid a visit to President Richard M. Nixon at the White House in Washington, D.C. The meeting was initiated by Presley, who wrote Nixon a six-page letter requesting a visit with the President and suggesting that he be made a 'Federal Agent-at-Large' in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. The events leading up to and after the meeting are detailed in the documentation and photographs included here, which include Presley's handwritten letter, memoranda from Nixon staff and aides, and the thank-you note from Nixon for the gifts (including a Colt 45 pistol and family photos) that Presley brought with him to the Oval Office. Note: The following documents are in PDF format.

View Elvis Letter and all Documents in PDF format

• Handwritten Letter from Presley to Nixon
• Transcription of Presley letter
• Memorandum for H.R. Haldeman from Dwight L. Chapin
• Memorandum for the President, Re: Meeting with Elvis Presley
• Memorandum for the President's File from Egil 'Bud' Krogh, Re: Meeting with Elvis Presley, 21 December 1970
• Message from (Bev) to (Lucy), Re: Presley's Gifts to the President
• Letter from Richard M. Nixon to Elvis Presley, 31 December 1970
• Memorandum from Egil 'Bud' Krogh to Neal Ball, Re: Guidance on Jack Anderson Column-Elvis Presley, 27 January 1972

These materials chronicling the Presley-Nixon meeting were obtained from the Nixon Presidential Materials Project at the National Archives at College Park (College Park, Maryland).

Elvis' Letter to President Nixon

Dear Mr. President.

First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Elvis Presley and admire you and have great respect for your office. I talked to Vice President Agnew in Palm Springs three weeks ago and expressed my concern for our country. The drug culture, the hippie elements, the SDS, Black Panthers, etc. do NOT consider me as their enemy or as they call it The Establishment. I call it America and I love it. Sir, I can and will be of any service that I can to help The Country out. I have no concern or Motives other than helping the country out.

Elvis Presley and President Nixon at the White House - December 21, 1970.

So I wish not to be given a title or an appointed position. I can and will do more good if I were made a Federal Agent at Large and I will help out by doing it my way through my communications with people of all ages. First and foremost, I am an entertainer, but all I need is the Federal credentials. I am on this plane with Senator George Murphy and we have been discussing the problems that our country is faced with.

Sir, I am staying at the Washington Hotel, Room 505-506-507. I have two men who work with me by the name of Jerry Schilling and Sonny West. I am registered under the name of Jon Burrows.

I will be here for as long as long as it takes to get the credentials of a Federal Agent. I have done an in-depth study of drug abuse and Communist brainwashing techniques and I am right in the middle of the whole thing where I can and will do the most good. I am Glad to help just so long as it is kept very Private. You can have your staff or whomever call me anytime today, tonight, or tomorrow. I was nominated this coming year one of America's Ten Most Outstanding Young Men. That will be in January 18 in my home town of Memphis, Tennessee. I am sending you the short autobiography about myself so you can better

Respectfully,

Elvis Presley

P. S. I believe that you, Sir, were one of the Top Ten Outstanding Men of America also. I have a personal gift for you which I would like to present to you and you can accept it or I will keep it for you until you can take it.

As indicated in his letter, Elvis presented Nixon with a gift. This was a commemorative World War II Colt 45 pistol in a wooden chest.

Photos

Photos : Elvis Meets Nixon December 21, 1970

Articles

Egil 'Bud' Krogh : Tell me about Elvis' visit to the White House