59. Editorial Note
According to summary notes prepared by General Gray, a meeting was convened at the White House on March 11, 1961, to discuss preparations for the Trinidad operation, as outlined in the paper prepared in the CIA on March 11. (Document 58) The Presidentʼs appointment book indicates that the meeting took place at 10:05 a.m. and lasted until 12:15 p.m. The meeting was attended by Vice President Johnson, McNamara, Rusk, Mann, Berle, Dulles, McGeorge Bundy, William Bundy, Gray, and Colonel B.W. Tarwater. (Kennedy Library, Presidentʼs Appointment Book) Although not listed in the appointment book, Bissell called the meeting and no doubt attended and made the presentation for the CIA. According to Grayʼs notes on the meeting:
“At a meeting with the President, CIA presented a paper which summarized preparations to date for the Trinidad operation. After full discussion, the President stated that he was willing to take the chance of going ahead; that he could not endorse a plan that put us in so openly, in view of the world situation. He directed the development of a plan where US assistance would be less obvious and would like to meet again within the next few days.” (Summary notes prepared on May 9, 1961; ibid., National Security Files, Countries Series, Cuba, Subjects, Taylor Report)
The meeting with the President was preceded by a meeting of Bissell, Rusk, Mann, and Berle. Mann arranged the meeting between Bissell and Department of State officials after Rusk discovered that the meeting with the President to discuss the Trinidad operation had been called at Bissellʼs request without prior knowledge of or discussion with Department officials. Rusk felt that the CIA was attempting to bypass the Department of State, and he was assured by McGeorge Bundy that coordination of the planning for the operation rested with the Task Force on Latin America, under Berle. (Memorandum from Executive Secretary Lucius D. Battle to Rusk, March 9; Department of State, Central Files, 737.00/3-961)