Experience Watergate through photographs

The Watergate scandal took 2 years to unfold

Beginning with the June 17, 1972, break-in, the scandal progressed through Senate hearings in 1973 and the explosive revelation of Oval Office tapes, and culminated in Nixon's resignation by August 1974.

Watergate led to the prosecution of nearly 50 individuals

Watergate ushered in sweeping changes. Agencies were required to release information openly; officials had to disclose finances transparently; and new laws limited conflicts of interest, established independent ethics oversight, and safeguarded presidential records—curbing abuse and boosting accountability.

Experience what it was like to live during Watergate's unfolding scandal

Slate's "Slow Burn," hosted by Leon Neyfakh, revisits Watergate through archival audio and interviews, spotlighting overlooked figures, vividly depicting the scandal's slow escalation, and drawing parallels to today's political climate.

Watch President Nixon's resignation speech

With impeachment looming, President Richard Nixon gave a televised Oval Office address. Watch this famous address in which Nixon announced his resignation due to the Watergate scandal—becoming the first and only president to resign from office.

Explore scandals that got the "‑gate" treatment

Since the 1972 break-in at Washington's Watergate complex, the "-gate" suffix has become a global shorthand for scandal—ranging from major political crises to minor controversies—revealing how Watergate reshaped public discourse about misconduct and cover-ups.

Watch the breaking news report of the revelation that brought down the Nixon presidency

In August 1974, following a unanimous Supreme Court ruling, the White House released the "smoking gun" tape—revealing Nixon's role in the cover-up. Watch the CBS News report from Aug. 5, 1974, detailing the fallout from the release of the tapes.

Nixon's landslide in the 1972 presidential election

Despite the Watergate break-in becoming public in June 1972, voters largely shrugged it off. On Nov. 7, 1972, Richard Nixon still achieved a historic landslide—winning 520 out of 538 electoral votes, carrying 49 states—making it one of the largest Electoral College victories in US history.

Watergate-era reforms restricted the power of the presidency

Watergate ushered in sweeping changes. Agencies were required to release information openly, officials had to disclose finances transparently, and new laws limited conflicts of interest. The reforms also established independent oversight of ethics and safeguarded presidential records, curbing abuse and boosting accountability.

How former President Nixon's visit to China shifted geopolitics

While Richard Nixon may be best remembered for Watergate and the disintegration of his presidency, his visit to China in 1972 stands as a triumph of his administration. Learn about the president's visit to Beijing (then referred to as Peking), his methods and approach, and the subsequent opening of diplomatic ties with China.

The reporters who broke the Watergate scandal reflect 50 years later

Even after 50 years, famed Watergate reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein remain tightly connected—calling each other multiple times a week.

Gerald Ford is the only president never elected to the office

Ford's ascent to the nation's highest office was a direct consequence of the unprecedented political upheaval caused by the Watergate scandal. Initially appointed vice president in October 1973 after Spiro Agnew's resignation, Ford assumed the presidency less than a year later, in August 1974, following Richard Nixon's resignation.

Journalism's real drama made 'All the President's Men' irresistible for Robert Redford

Robert Redford was drawn to Watergate not by Nixon, but by the partnership of two contrasting journalists—Woodward and Bernstein. In the interview, he explains how he shaped the film's documentary style to spotlight the story rather than the scandal.

Some Watergate reforms may have fueled today's partisan, confrontational Congress

The newly elected officials after the Watergate scandal dismantled seniority norms, opened committee votes, and televised proceedings—efforts aimed at increasing transparency that, unintentionally, may have fueled the polarized and combative tone of today's Congress.

Watch a news clip from the evening of 'the Saturday Night Massacre'

On Oct. 20, 1973, President Nixon ordered the firing of Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox—prompting the resignations of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy AG William Ruckelshaus. This NBC News Special Report shows the immediate aftermath of the decision.

Nixon secretly recorded nearly 3,700 hours of conversations

The White House taping system was secretly installed on Feb. 16, 1971, beginning with the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, and later expanded to Nixon's offices, Camp David, and telephones.

See some of the most controversial pardons in presidential history

From Lincoln's selective commutations of Dakota men after an 1862 uprising, to Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon after Watergate, and Bill Clinton's final-day clemency decisions, pardons have long sparked fierce debate over justice, political favoritism, and presidential power.

The Nixon administration tried and failed to stop the press from publishing the Pentagon Papers

In 1971, the Supreme Court ruled against the government's attempt to block The New York Times and The Washington Post from publishing classified documents on the Vietnam War, delivering a landmark victory for press freedom.

Actors on 'All the President's Men' immersed themselves in real-world reporting

Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford spent months shadowing the real Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward—working at The Washington Post, living with Bernstein's family, and studying their mannerisms—to bring authentic nuance to their portrayals of Watergate's investigative journalists.

33 images that became central to huge scandals

The wife of Nixon's attorney general was forcibly held to silence her Watergate revelations

While vacationing in June 1972, Martha Mitchell was held captive, sedated, and physically abused by operatives connected to Nixon, intent on keeping her from speaking to reporters.

Views on the Nixon pardon softened over time

Americans initially rejected Ford's September 1974 pardon of Nixon—38% approved it versus 53% disapproved—but by 1986, a slim majority (54%) believed it was the right call, showing that public sentiment softened over more than a decade after the controversy.

See a collection of LIFE's most iconic photos in history

Famous images, like a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square to celebrate the end of World War II, are each shared with context in this article. See some of history's most famous moments from a unique point of view, including photos of Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles, and Muhammad Ali.

Amid the aftermath of Watergate, Gerald Ford declared that the state of the union was 'not good'

In his first State of the Union in January 1975, President Ford departed from the usual optimism, bluntly acknowledging recession, inflation, and public distrust as the country worked to recover from Nixon's resignation and the Watergate scandal.

See photos from the day Havana fell

When news broke that Batista had fled on New Year’s Eve 1958, photographer Burt Glinn rushed from Miami to Havana without an assignment. His iconic images—tanks in Old Havana and tearful reunions—captured a nation celebrating, uncertain, and on the brink of radical change.

An in-depth account of the image of 'The Falling Man' whose final seconds capture the visceral horrors of 9/11

Do you remember the photograph above? In the US, people have taken pains to banish it from the record of Sept. 11, 2001. Here's a detailed account of the story behind it, the search for the man pictured in it, and its impact on those who lived through the tragic day.

Ford became the first and only president to pardon his predecessor

President Gerald Ford issued a "full, free, and absolute" pardon to Nixon on Sept. 8, 1974, covering any crimes committed between Jan. 20, 1969, and his resignation—effectively ending legal proceedings and making Nixon the first president ever pardoned by his successor.

What classified documents look like

It's hard to get a sense of what these classified documents being discovered at the homes of presidents look like. Here's some images of the ones found at former President Donald Trump's home.

Hollywood’s best scandals

With all the money, power, and beautiful people in Hollywood, it’s no wonder there’s no shortage of scandals. This list highlights 10 of the most salacious ones, from Marilyn Monroe’s affair with then-president John F. Kennedy, to the mysterious death of starlet Natalie Wood in 1981.

White House renovations have always been controversial

From Theodore Roosevelt's 1902 overhaul to Harry Truman's complete gutting in 1948 and Jacqueline Kennedy's historic restoration in the 1960s, nearly every major White House renovation has faced criticism over cost, design choices, or historical preservation.

See a ranking of the most memorable presidential pets in history

This list highlights famous White House animals—from Abraham Lincoln's goats, Nanny and Nanko, to Joe Biden's German shepherds, Champ and Major—showing how pets have long been part of presidential life. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Jacqueline Kennedy transformed the White House into a museum of American history

Between 1961 and 1963, first lady Jacqueline Kennedy oversaw a dramatic restoration of the White House, furnishing rooms with authentic antiques, founding the White House Historical Association, and securing congressional protection for the White House's historic interiors.

The War Powers Act of 1973 was passed over Nixon's veto to limit the president's ability to wage war unilaterally

Passed in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, the War Powers Resolution requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying forces and to end military operations within 60 days without congressional approval. Nixon vetoed the bill, arguing it was unconstitutional, but Congress overrode his veto.

See rare Civil War photographs preserved by the National Archives

The Civil War was the first major American conflict documented by a camera, with its images distributed widely to the public. The National Archives' digital collection offers thousands of original Civil War images: portraits, battlefields, hospitals, and everyday life.

See the White House bowling alley in use

First installed in 1947 for President Harry Truman, the White House bowling alley was later moved to the basement of the Executive Office Building. President Nixon, an avid bowler, added a new one-lane alley beneath the White House in 1973.

AP Photos: 20 images documenting the enormity of 9/11

The Associated Press shares 20 photographers’ frames from Sept. 11, 2001, when hijackers crashed commercial planes into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

Watergate's anti-Castro Latino burglars believed they were fighting communism

Among the Watergate burglars, Virgilio González, Bernard Barker, and Eugenio Martínez were Cuban American anti-Castro exiles who believed they were combating communist influence in the United States.

Hear the story behind 11 iconic Super Bowl photos, told by the photographer who shot them

Sports Illustrated legend Walter Iooss Jr. revisits 11 unforgettable Super Bowl images—including Namath, Montana, and Taylor—explaining how light, access, and timing captured moments that defined the game’s visual history.

A firsthand account from the AP photographer who captured 'The Falling Man'

On 9/11, AP photographer Richard Drew made one of the most indelible — and harrowing — images of the 21st century. Here's his account of the photo he captured.