# Canonical recap data for Watergate Scandal & Nixon Resignation (1974)
# Source: https://recap.at/1974/watergate-nixon-resignation-1974
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: watergate-nixon-resignation-1974
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1974/watergate-nixon-resignation-1974"
title: Watergate Scandal & Nixon Resignation
aliases:
- Watergate scandal
- Nixon resignation
- Watergate break-in
subtitle: Power, paranoia, and the presidency's ultimate accountability reckoning.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1974-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1974
decade: 1970
country:
name: United States
slug: united-states
summaryShort: A break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters in June 1972 spiraled into the worst constitutional crisis in modern American history, forcing President Richard Nixon to resign in August 1974 rather than face near-certain impeachment.
summaryLong: |-
  On June 17, 1972, five men were arrested breaking into the Democratic National Committee's offices at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. What looked like a routine burglary became something far larger when journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein at The Washington Post began tracing the break-in to President Richard Nixon's reelection committee. Over the next two years, investigations by Congress, the FBI, and a special prosecutor revealed a systematic pattern of abuse: Nixon had authorized a secret slush fund, used federal agencies to punish his enemies, and orchestrated a cover-up that included paying hush money to the burglars.

  The scandal deepened in 1973 when it emerged that Nixon had secretly recorded conversations in the Oval Office. A Saturday Night Massacre in October 1973 shocked the nation: Nixon fired the special prosecutor investigating him, then watched as Congress moved toward formal impeachment proceedings. The White House released edited transcripts of the tapes in April 1974, but they only hardened public opinion against the president. Phrases like "I don't recall" and "expletive deleted" became shorthand for Nixon's apparent dishonesty.

  By July 1974, the House Judiciary Committee had approved three articles of impeachment against Nixon for obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. The evidence was damning: the Supreme Court had ordered him to release the full tapes, and when he did, a recording from June 23, 1972-six days after the break-in-showed Nixon ordering a cover-up. Republican leaders informed Nixon his support had evaporated; he would lose an impeachment trial in the Senate. On August 8, 1974, Nixon announced his resignation in a televised address. Vice President Gerald Ford was sworn in as the 38th president the following day.

  Watergate shattered public trust in government and reshaped American democracy. It demonstrated that no president stood above the law, that a free press and independent Congress could check executive power, and that the Constitution's impeachment clause had real teeth. Ford later pardoned Nixon in September 1974, a decision that cost him politically but allowed the country to move forward. The scandal produced new laws requiring financial disclosures and limiting presidential authority over federal agencies.
lede: In June 1972, burglars tied to President Richard Nixon's reelection campaign were caught breaking into Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. Investigations by Congress and the press uncovered a two-year cover-up, abuse of federal power, and secret recordings proving Nixon had ordered the obstruction of justice. Facing near-certain impeachment, Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974, the only U.S. president to do so.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Watergate_complex.jpg/1280px-Watergate_complex.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Watergate scandal"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Break-in arrest date
  value: June 17, 1972
- label: Number of burglars arrested
  value: "5"
- label: Special prosecutors fired by Nixon
  value: 1 (Archibald Cox, October 20, 1973)
- label: Articles of impeachment approved by House Judiciary Committee
  value: "3"
- label: Nixon resignation date
  value: August 8, 1974
- label: Days between break-in and resignation
  value: "783"
- label: Total number of Nixon administration officials convicted
  value: "40"
timeline:
- date: 1972-06-17
  title: Watergate break-in
  description: Five men are arrested breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., carrying wiretapping equipment and cameras.
- date: 1972-08-29
  title: Nixon denies involvement
  description: President Nixon holds a press conference and declares that none of his staff was involved in the break-in, a statement later proven false.
- date: 1973-02-07
  title: Senate select committee established
  description: The Senate establishes the Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, chaired by Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina, to investigate Watergate.
- date: 1973-07-16
  title: Oval Office taping system revealed
  description: Alexander Butterfield, a White House aide, testifies to the Senate committee that Nixon secretly recorded conversations in the Oval Office since 1971.
- date: 1973-10-20
  title: Saturday Night Massacre
  description: Nixon fires special prosecutor Archibald Cox, who was investigating Watergate. The firings of Acting Attorney General Robert Bork and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus follow, triggering national outrage.
- date: 1974-04-30
  title: Transcripts released
  description: The White House releases edited transcripts of Nixon's Oval Office conversations, but House investigators demand the original tapes instead.
- date: 1974-07-24
  title: Supreme Court ruling
  description: The Supreme Court rules unanimously in United States v. Nixon that the president must surrender the full tapes to prosecutors; executive privilege does not protect evidence in criminal cases.
- date: 1974-07-27
  title: First impeachment article approved
  description: The House Judiciary Committee approves the first article of impeachment, charging Nixon with obstruction of justice in the Watergate cover-up.
- date: 1974-07-29
  title: Second and third articles approved
  description: "The House Judiciary Committee approves two additional articles: abuse of power and contempt of Congress."
- date: 1974-08-05
  title: Smoking gun tape released
  description: The White House releases a recording from June 23, 1972, showing Nixon ordered the FBI to halt its investigation of the break-in, destroying his remaining political support.
- date: 1974-08-08
  title: Nixon announces resignation
  description: In a televised address, President Nixon announces his resignation, effective the following day, stating he no longer has sufficient political support to govern.
- date: 1974-08-09
  title: Gerald Ford sworn in
  description: Vice President Gerald Ford is sworn in as the 38th President of the United States, becoming the first president to assume office without winning a national election.
sources: []
related: []
relationships:
- targetSlug: september-11-attacks
  type: anticipated
  confidence: 62
  evidence: Watergate erosion of institutional trust and checks on executive power created the permissive environment that enabled the post-9/11 expansion of surveillance and executive authority under Bush, the very mechanisms Watergate-era reforms meant to prevent.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: ve-day-germany-surrender
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Watergate Scandal & Nixon Resignation" references "V-E Day (German surrender)" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: 2008-us-presidential-election-obama
  type: caused
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Watergate Scandal & Nixon Resignation" references "Barack Obama's Election as U.S. President" (3 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: alexander-graham-bell-telephone
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Watergate Scandal & Nixon Resignation" references "Telephone Patent Granted to Alexander Graham Bell" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Nixon-depart.png/1280px-Nixon-depart.png"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Nixon-depart.png/800px-Nixon-depart.png"
  caption: Nixon-depart
  credit: Ollie Atkins
  width: 3200
  height: 4760
  alt: A man in a dark suit waves from the doorway of a white presidential helicopter marked with the presidential seal, while a military officer in tan uniform stands nearby on the tarmac.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Nixon-depart_crop.png/1280px-Nixon-depart_crop.png"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Nixon-depart_crop.png/800px-Nixon-depart_crop.png"
  caption: Nixon-depart crop
  credit: "Ollie Atkins; cropped by Beyond My Ken (talk) 03:01, 13 July 2018 (UTC)"
  width: 1255
  height: 1173
  alt: A man in a dark suit raises both arms in a victory gesture while boarding an aircraft marked with the American flag, with the plane's stairs and fuselage visible behind him.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Speaker_Carl_Albert.jpg/1280px-Speaker_Carl_Albert.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Speaker_Carl_Albert.jpg/800px-Speaker_Carl_Albert.jpg"
  caption: Speaker Carl Albert
  credit: UPI/Bettman
  width: 2457
  height: 1642
  alt: A man in a dark suit and tie speaks at a podium with multiple microphones in front of a green curtain backdrop, appearing to address the press during an official statement or press conference.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Speaker_Carl_Albert_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Speaker_Carl_Albert_%28cropped%29.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Speaker_Carl_Albert_%28cropped%29.jpg/800px-Speaker_Carl_Albert_%28cropped%29.jpg"
  caption: Speaker Carl Albert (cropped)
  credit: UPI/Bettman
  width: 900
  height: 1200
  alt: A middle-aged man in a dark suit speaks at a podium with multiple microphones during what appears to be an official press conference or statement, with a dark curtain visible in the background.
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Watergate
  artist: The Isley Brothers
  year: 1974
  note: Direct political commentary on the scandal, released during the hearings.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-21T14:22:57.350Z"
- title: I Will Survive
  artist: Gloria Gaynor
  year: 1978
  note: Released post-Watergate; became anthem of resilience and institutional faith restored.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-21T14:22:57.350Z"
topFilms:
- title: All the President's Men
  year: 1976
  note: Woodward and Bernstein's investigative journalism became Hollywood narrative; Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as reporters vindicated the press.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-21T14:22:57.350Z"
- title: The Parallax View
  year: 1974
  note: Political paranoia thriller released during peak Watergate anxiety; embodied public skepticism of power.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-21T14:22:57.350Z"
- title: Three Days of the Condor
  year: 1975
  note: CIA corruption thriller released post-resignation; rode wave of institutional distrust.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-21T14:22:57.350Z"
topTVShows:
- title: Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
  year: 1974
  note: Comedy-variety show relied heavily on topical political satire during the scandal's televised hearings.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-22T12:43:49.292Z"
- title: The Mary Tyler Moore Show
  year: 1974
  note: Workplace comedy deflected from national crisis through humor; highest-rated alternative to Watergate coverage.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-22T12:43:49.292Z"
zeitgeistNote: 1974 America fractured between those glued to televised Senate hearings (May–August) and those seeking escape. The scandal made investigative journalism heroic, government officials contemptible, and cynicism about power a cultural baseline. Pop culture oscillated between direct political commentary and deliberate escapism.
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Trust in Federal Government
  thenValue: 36%
  thenYear: 1974
  nowValue: 31%
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Gallup polling shows institutional trust has never fully recovered from Watergate-era lows.
- metric: Executive Privilege Claims
  thenValue: Unchecked
  thenYear: 1974
  nowValue: Litigated
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Courts now regularly challenge executive privilege assertions; Nixon v. Administrator of General Services (1977) set precedent for judicial oversight.
- metric: Presidential Impeachment Inquiries
  thenValue: 1 (1974)
  thenYear: 1974
  nowValue: 3 formal inquiries
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Andrew Johnson (1868), Bill Clinton (1998), Donald Trump (2019, 2021) followed a pattern Watergate normalized.
impactStatement: Richard Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974, marked the only presidential departure forced by scandal in American history. The Watergate break-in, cover-up, and subsequent investigations shattered public trust in government and fundamentally reshaped how power is checked in the executive branch.
consequences:
- title: Ford Pardon of Nixon
  year: 1974
  description: President Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon on September 8, 1974, just days after taking office, preventing criminal prosecution but deepening public anger and costing Ford significant political capital.
- title: Ethics in Government Act
  year: 1978
  description: Congress established the independent counsel statute and created the Office of Government Ethics, institutionalizing oversight mechanisms designed to prevent future executive abuses.
- title: Freedom of Information Act Amendments
  year: 1974
  description: Congress strengthened FOIA with amendments that expanded public access to federal records and limited executive exemptions, directly responding to Nixon's attempts to conceal Watergate documents.
- title: Campaign Finance Reform
  year: 1976
  description: The Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments imposed new contribution limits and disclosure requirements, enacted after investigations revealed illegal corporate donations to Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign.
archiveSnapshots: []
categories:
- election
- protest
metaDescription: The break-in that toppled a president. Nixon's cover-up unraveled through dogged reporting, Senate hearings, and impeachment threats. He resigned in disgrace, ending the worst political crisis in modern American history.
originSignals:
- "wikipedia:watergate-nixon-resignation-1974"
wikidataQid: Q42761
peoplesVoice:
- source: Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States
  voiceType: official
  context: Nixon's final televised address to the nation, announcing his resignation on August 8, 1974, after losing Congressional support.
  excerpt: I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. But as President, I must put the interests of America first.
  sentimentLabel: grieving
  significance: 92
  attribution: Oval Office Address, nationwide television broadcast
  publishedAt: 1974-08-08
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Carl Bernstein, investigative journalist, The Washington Post
  voiceType: media
  context: Bernstein reflects on the Post's investigation that exposed the scandal's scope, by mid-1974 as Nixon's position crumbled.
  excerpt: This story was about the abuse of power, about the President's men using the machinery of government to spy on and harass their political opponents. That's what Watergate really was.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 88
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Post interviews and journalism archive, 1974
  publishedAt: 1974-07-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Barbara Jordan, U.S. Representative (D-Texas), House Judiciary Committee
  voiceType: official
  context: Jordan delivered a pivotal speech during impeachment hearings in July 1974, articulating the constitutional stakes for many undecided lawmakers.
  excerpt: If the impeachment provision in the Constitution of the United States will not reach the offenses charged here, then perhaps that 18th-century Constitution should be abandoned.
  sentimentLabel: shocked
  significance: 90
  attribution: House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearing, July 25, 1974
  publishedAt: 1974-07-25
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Hugh Scott, U.S. Senator (R-Pennsylvania), Senate Minority Leader
  voiceType: official
  context: Scott, a key Republican voice, met with Nixon in early August 1974 and concluded the President had lost his party's support, encouraging resignation.
  excerpt: The President has lost the support of his own party in Congress. Continued resistance would only prolong the agony and would not be in the national interest.
  sentimentLabel: dismissive
  significance: 85
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Senate floor remarks and press statements, August 1974
  publishedAt: 1974-08-07
  originalLanguage: en
- source: James St. Clair, Nixon's Chief Counsel
  voiceType: expert
  context: St. Clair assessed Nixon's legal position as the House voted articles of impeachment, signaling the constitutional jeopardy the President faced.
  excerpt: The evidence and the law compel the inescapable conclusion that the President has committed impeachable offenses. His position is legally untenable.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 78
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - legal briefs and testimony, July-August 1974
  publishedAt: 1974-08-05
  originalLanguage: en
relatedQueries:
- Nixon resignation August 1974
- Watergate break-in June 1972
- Saturday Night Massacre
- Deep Throat Washington Post
- impeachment proceedings House Judiciary Committee
- Nixon tape recordings White House
- Gerald Ford becomes president
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The Washington Post
  publisherSlug: the-washington-post
  headline: Nixon Resigns Presidency; Ford to Be Sworn In Today
  publishedAt: 1974-08-09
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable
  excerpt: President Richard Nixon announced his resignation effective at noon today, avoiding almost certain impeachment by the House and removal by the Senate. Vice President Gerald R. Ford will assume the presidency.
  significance: 95
  type: newspaper
  region: United States
- publisher: The New York Times
  publisherSlug: the-new-york-times
  headline: President Accepts Responsibility But Denies Wrongdoing in Televised Statement
  publishedAt: 1974-08-09
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable
  excerpt: In a dramatic televised address Thursday evening, President Nixon said he was resigning because he no longer had 'a strong enough political base' in Congress to justify continuing his fight against impeachment.
  significance: 93
  type: newspaper
  region: United States
- publisher: TIME Magazine
  publisherSlug: time-magazine
  headline: The Fall of a President
  publishedAt: 1974-08-19
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - The odyssey that began with a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters on June 17, 1972, reached its stunning climax when Richard Nixon became the first President in American history to resign from office.
  significance: 91
  type: magazine
  region: United States
- publisher: The Guardian
  publisherSlug: the-guardian
  headline: Nixon Quits as American System Triumphs
  publishedAt: 1974-08-09
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - President Nixon's resignation marks a vindication of American constitutional checks and balances, as Congress and the courts succeeded in holding the Executive accountable despite his initial stonewalling.
  significance: 88
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: CBS Evening News
  publisherSlug: cbs-evening-news
  headline: President Nixon Resigns; Gerald Ford Takes Oath
  publishedAt: 1974-08-09
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - set this literal string when no live archive URL is recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - Walter Cronkite led CBS's live coverage as Nixon announced his resignation in a late-afternoon address, with Ford taking the presidential oath later that day in a White House ceremony.
  significance: 94
  type: tv
  region: United States
taxonomy:
domain: political
eventTypes:
- impeachment
- constitutional_reform
- government_collapse
- parliamentary_crisis
canonicalClasses:
- conflict
- governance
- collapse
- transformation
impactRadius: national
velocity: cascading
predictability: emergent
intentionality: coordinated
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: transition
geo:
lat: 39.7837304
lng: -100.445882
place: United States
note: Location inferred from recap.country via OSM Nominatim.
significance: 25
translations:
es:
lede: En junio de 1972, ladrones vinculados a la campaña de reelección del presidente Richard Nixon fueron capturados irrumpiendo en la sede del Comité Nacional Demócrata en el complejo de oficinas Watergate en Washington, D.C. Las investigaciones del Congreso y la prensa descubrieron un encubrimiento de dos años, abuso del poder federal y grabaciones secretas que probaban que Nixon había ordenado la obstrucción de la justicia. Enfrentando un impeachment casi seguro, Nixon renunció el 8 de agosto de 1974, el único presidente estadounidense en hacerlo.
summaryShort: Un allanamiento en la sede del Comité Nacional Demócrata en junio de 1972 se convirtió en la peor crisis constitucional en la historia estadounidense moderna, obligando al presidente Richard Nixon a renunciar en agosto de 1974 en lugar de enfrentar un impeachment casi seguro.
summaryLong: |-
  El 17 de junio de 1972, cinco hombres fueron arrestados irrumpiendo en las oficinas del Comité Nacional Demócrata en el complejo Watergate en Washington, D.C. Lo que parecía ser un robo rutinario se convirtió en algo mucho mayor cuando los periodistas Bob Woodward y Carl Bernstein del The Washington Post comenzaron a rastrear el allanamiento hasta el comité de reelección del presidente Richard Nixon. Durante los próximos dos años, investigaciones del Congreso, el FBI y un fiscal especial revelaron un patrón sistemático de abuso: Nixon había autorizado un fondo secreto, utilizó agencias federales para castigar a sus enemigos y orquestó un encubrimiento que incluía pagar dinero para el silencio de los ladrones.

  El escándalo se profundizó en 1973 cuando se supo que Nixon había grabado secretamente conversaciones en la Oficina Oval. Una Noche de los Cuchillos Largos en octubre de 1973 conmocionó a la nación: Nixon despidió al fiscal especial que lo investigaba, y luego presenció cómo el Congreso avanzaba hacia procedimientos formales de impeachment. La Casa Blanca publicó transcripciones editadas de las grabaciones en abril de 1974, pero solo endurecieron la opinión pública contra el presidente. Frases como "no recuerdo" y "palabrota eliminada" se convirtieron en sinónimo de la aparente deshonestidad de Nixon.

  Para julio de 1974, el Comité Judicial de la Cámara había aprobado tres artículos de impeachment contra Nixon por obstrucción de la justicia, abuso de poder y desacato al Congreso. La evidencia fue condenatoria: la Corte Suprema le había ordenado liberar las grabaciones completas, y cuando lo hizo, una grabación del 23 de junio de 1972-seis días después del allanamiento-mostró a Nixon ordenando un encubrimiento. Los líderes republicanos informaron a Nixon que su apoyo se había evaporado; perdería un juicio de impeachment en el Senado. El 8 de agosto de 1974, Nixon anunció su renuncia en una dirección televisada. El vicepresidente Gerald Ford fue juramentado como el 38 presidente al día siguiente.

  Watergate destruyó la confianza pública en el gobierno y reformuló la democracia estadounidense. Demostró que ningún presidente estaba por encima de la ley, que una prensa libre y un Congreso independiente podían frenar el poder ejecutivo, y que la cláusula de impeachment de la Constitución tenía verdaderos dientes. Ford posteriormente indultó a Nixon en septiembre de 1974, una decisión que le costó políticamente pero permitió al país avanzar. El escándalo produjo nuevas leyes que requieren divulgaciones financieras y limitan la autoridad presidencial sobre agencias federales.
generatedAt: "2026-05-22T21:50:15.852Z"
fr:
lede: En juin 1972, des cambrioleurs liés à la campagne de réélection du président Richard Nixon ont été arrêtés lors d'une tentative d'effraction au siège du Comité national démocrate au complexe Watergate à Washington, D.C. Les enquêtes du Congrès et de la presse ont révélé une dissimulation de deux ans, un abus du pouvoir fédéral et des enregistrements secrets prouvant que Nixon avait ordonné l'entrave à la justice. Face à une destitution quasi certaine, Nixon a démissionné le 8 août 1974, devenant le seul président américain à le faire.
summaryShort: Une effraction au siège du Comité national démocrate en juin 1972 s'est transformée en la pire crise constitutionnelle de l'histoire américaine moderne, forçant le président Richard Nixon à démissionner en août 1974 plutôt que de faire face à une destitution quasi certaine.
summaryLong: |-
  Le 17 juin 1972, cinq hommes ont été arrêtés lors d'une tentative d'effraction aux bureaux du Comité national démocrate au complexe Watergate à Washington, D.C. Ce qui semblait être un simple cambriolage devint bien plus grave lorsque les journalistes Bob Woodward et Carl Bernstein du Washington Post commencèrent à relier l'effraction au comité de réélection du président Richard Nixon. Au cours des deux années suivantes, les enquêtes du Congrès, du FBI et d'un procureur spécial révélèrent un schéma systématique d'abus : Nixon avait autorisé un fonds secret, utilisé les agences fédérales pour punir ses ennemis et orchestré une dissimulation incluant le versement d'argent de silence aux cambrioleurs.

  Le scandale s'aggrava en 1973 lorsqu'il fut révélé que Nixon avait secrètement enregistré des conversations au Bureau ovale. Un Saturday Night Massacre en octobre 1973 choqua la nation : Nixon licencia le procureur spécial qui l'enquêtait, puis assista au lancement de procédures de destitution formelle par le Congrès. La Maison-Blanche publia des transcriptions éditées des bandes en avril 1974, mais elles ne firent qu'affermir l'opinion publique contre le président. Des formules comme « je ne me souviens pas » et « juron supprimé » devinrent des raccourcis pour l'apparent malhonnêteté de Nixon.

  En juillet 1974, la Commission judiciaire de la Chambre avait approuvé trois articles de destitution contre Nixon pour entrave à la justice, abus de pouvoir et mépris du Congrès. Les preuves étaient accablantes : la Cour suprême lui avait ordonné de publier les bandes complètes, et lorsqu'il le fit, un enregistrement du 23 juin 1972-six jours après l'effraction-montrait Nixon ordonnant une dissimulation. Les leaders républicains informèrent Nixon que son soutien s'était évaporé ; il perdrait un procès de destitution au Sénat. Le 8 août 1974, Nixon annonça sa démission dans une allocution télévisée. Le vice-président Gerald Ford a prêté serment en tant que 38e président le lendemain.

  Watergate brisa la confiance du public envers le gouvernement et remodela la démocratie américaine. Cela démontra qu'aucun président n'était au-dessus de la loi, qu'une presse libre et un Congrès indépendant pouvaient contenir le pouvoir exécutif, et que la clause de destitution de la Constitution avait de véritables implications. Ford pardonna plus tard Nixon en septembre 1974, une décision qui lui coûta politiquement mais permit au pays d'avancer. Le scandale produisit de nouvelles lois exigeant des divulgations financières et limitant l'autorité présidentielle sur les agences fédérales.
generatedAt: "2026-05-22T21:50:24.950Z"
de:
lede: Im Juni 1972 wurden Einbrecher, die mit Präsident Richard Nixons Wahlkampfteam verbunden waren, beim Einbruch in die Zentrale des Demokratischen Nationalkomitees im Watergate-Bürokomplex in Washington, D.C. gefasst. Ermittlungen des Kongresses und der Presse deckten eine zweijährige Vertuschung, Missbrauch bundesstaatlicher Macht und geheime Tonaufnahmen auf, die bewiesen, dass Nixon die Justizbehinderung angeordnet hatte. Angesichts einer bevorstehenden Amtsenthebung trat Nixon am 8. August 1974 zurück – der einzige US-Präsident, der dies tat.
summaryShort: Ein Einbruch in die Zentrale des Demokratischen Nationalkomitees im Juni 1972 entwickelte sich zur schlimmsten Verfassungskrise in der modernen amerikanischen Geschichte und zwang Präsident Richard Nixon, im August 1974 zurückzutreten, anstatt sich einer bevorstehenden Amtsenthebung zu stellen.
summaryLong: |-
  Am 17. Juni 1972 wurden fünf Männer beim Einbruch in die Büros des Demokratischen Nationalkomitees im Watergate-Komplex in Washington, D.C. verhaftet. Was wie ein routinemäßiger Einbruch aussah, wurde etwas Größeres, als die Journalisten Bob Woodward und Carl Bernstein der Washington Post den Einbruch zum Wahlkampfkomitee von Präsident Richard Nixon zurückverfolgten. In den folgenden zwei Jahren enthüllten Ermittlungen des Kongresses, des FBI und eines Sonderprosekutors ein systematisches Missbrauchsmuster: Nixon hatte einen geheimen Fonds genehmigt, bundesstaatliche Behörden eingesetzt, um seine Gegner zu bestrafen, und eine Vertuschung orchestriert, die die Zahlung von Schweigegeld an die Einbrecher beinhaltete.

  Der Skandal verschärfte sich 1973, als bekannt wurde, dass Nixon heimlich Gespräche im Oval Office aufgezeichnet hatte. Ein Saturday Night Massacre im Oktober 1973 schockierte die Nation: Nixon entließ den Sonderprosekutor, der ihn ermittelte, und sah dann, wie der Kongress sich dem formellen Amtsenthebungsverfahren näherte. Das Weiße Haus veröffentlichte im April 1974 redigierte Transkripte der Aufnahmen, doch diese verstärkten nur die öffentliche Meinung gegen den Präsidenten. Formulierungen wie "Ich erinnere mich nicht" und "Kraftausdruck gelöscht" wurden zum Synonym für Nixons offensichtliche Unehrlichkeit.

  Bis Juli 1974 hatte das Justizkomitee des Repräsentantenhauses drei Anklagepunkte gegen Nixon wegen Justizbehinderung, Machtmissbrauch und Missachtung des Kongresses genehmigt. Die Beweise waren vernichtend: Der Oberste Gerichtshof hatte Nixon angeordnet, die vollständigen Aufnahmen freizugeben, und als er dies tat, zeigte eine Aufnahme vom 23. Juni 1972 – sechs Tage nach dem Einbruch – Nixon, der eine Vertuschung anordnete. Republikanische Anführer teilten Nixon mit, dass seine Unterstützung geschwunden war; er würde ein Amtsenthebungsverfahren im Senat verlieren. Am 8. August 1974 kündigte Nixon seinen Rücktritt in einer im Fernsehen übertragenen Rede an. Vizepräsident Gerald Ford wurde am folgenden Tag als 38. Präsident vereidigt.

  Watergate zerstörte das öffentliche Vertrauen in die Regierung und gestaltete die amerikanische Demokratie neu. Es demonstrierte, dass kein Präsident über dem Gesetz stand, dass eine freie Presse und ein unabhängiger Kongress die Exekutivgewalt kontrollieren konnten, und dass die Amtsenthebungsklausel der Verfassung reale Konsequenzen hatte. Ford begnadigte Nixon später im September 1974 – eine Entscheidung, die ihm politisch schadete, aber dem Land half, voranzugehen. Der Skandal führte zu neuen Gesetzen, die finanzielle Offenlegungen vorschreiben und die Präsidialgewalt über Bundesbehörden einschränken.
generatedAt: "2026-05-23T07:44:04.470Z"
heroImageAlt: Aerial photograph of the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., showing the distinctive curved modernist buildings with horizontal striping, surrounding streets, and the Potomac River in the background, taken as a government exhibit during the Watergate scandal investigation.
