Richard Nixon (Anthony Hopkins) is the 37th president of the United States but his presidency comes to a tragic end when he resigns before he can be impeached. His wife Pat Nixon (Joan Allen) is the only one who knows him beyond the role of president. She understands his personal flaws and his tortured past that lead to his failure. Richard was raised as a Quaker and never believed he could live up to his parent's strict expectations. Then, he constantly compares himself to his predecessor, John F. Kennedy. But these alone don't lead to his demise, but it was the system of the presidency itself and the bureaucracy that surrounds the role. When Richard discovers that former CIA officer E. Howard Hunt (Ed Harris) is involved in the Watergate scandal, he knows he is going to be undone. However, he holds on as long as possible to try to uphold his facade to the country before he is forced to resign.