Vance Says Deep State Behind Watergate: Did The Scandal Bring Down Nixon Or Was There More At Play?

Published 26 June 2026 · india

Vance Says Deep State Behind Watergate: Did The Scandal Bring Down Nixon Or Was There More At Play? Written By, Last Updated: June 26, 2026

Vance Says Deep State Behind Watergate: Did The Scandal Bring Down Nixon Or Was There More At Play? Written By, Last Updated: June 26, 2026, 16:11 IST JD Vance claims Watergate would last only 12 hours in todays news, reviving debate on the scandal that forced Richard Nixon to resign and spawned enduring conspiracy theories Although the Watergate break-in itself was serious, it was the subsequent cover-up that ultimately destroyed Nixon's presidency. (Photo: X) The infamous Watergate scandal, which led to the downfall of US President Richard Nixon and ultimately his resignation, returned to public attention after US Vice President JD Vance remarked that the scandal would likely last only “12 hours" in today’s news cycle. Vance argued that the idea of the Watergate scandal bringing down a presidency now seemed “crazy", reigniting debate over one of the biggest political scandals in American history. Facing almost certain impeachment and removal from office, Nixon resigned on 9 August 1974. He remains the only sitting US President in the country’s nearly 250-year history to resign from office. What Was the Watergate Scandal? The Watergate scandal began in June 1972, when five burglars linked to Nixon’s re-election campaign were caught breaking into the Democratic Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, DC. Although the break-in itself was serious, it was the subsequent cover-up that ultimately destroyed Nixon’s presidency. Investigative journalists, FBI investigators, congressional committees and Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox gradually uncovered evidence that senior White House officials had attempted to obstruct the investigation. Political pressure intensified during the “Saturday Night Massacre" in October 1973, when Nixon ordered the dismissal of Cox, prompting the resignations of senior Justice Department officials.

In July 1974, the US Supreme Court unanimously ruled in United States v. Nixon that the President had to surrender secret Oval Office tape recordings. The tapes revealed Nixon’s involvement in efforts to cover up the break-in. Soon afterwards, senior Republican leaders informed Nixon that he no longer had enough support in Congress to survive impeachment. He resigned on 9 August 1974, handing over the presidency to Vice President Gerald Ford. Conspiracy Theories Behind Nixon’s Downfall While the historical consensus on Watergate is supported by extensive documentary evidence, including Nixon’s own recorded conversations, the scandal has also generated numerous conspiracy theories over the past five decades. Some originated from Nixon’s allies seeking alternative explanations, while others were advanced by authors and researchers who argued that aspects of the official narrative remained unresolved. Here are some of the most well-known theories The CIA Frame-Up Theory One of the longest-running theories claims that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) deliberately engineered or allowed the Watergate break-in to expose the Nixon administration. Supporters point out that several of the burglars, including James McCord and E. Howard Hunt, had previously worked for the CIA. They also note Nixon’s often strained relationship with the intelligence agency. According to the theory, the burglars made unusually amateur mistakes—such as placing tape across door latches in a way that was easily noticed by a security guard—ensuring they would be caught and triggering an investigation that would eventually reach the White House. However, no credible evidence has emerged to demonstrate that the CIA orchestrated a coordinated effort to remove Nixon from office.