Final answer:
Once it was revealed that President Nixon's staff was involved in the Watergate cover-up, Nixon initially denied any involvement but eventually accepted blame for the scandal. Facing imminent impeachment, he voluntarily resigned from office in 1974 and was granted a pardon by his successor, Gerald Ford.
Step-by-step explanation:
In response to the revelation that members of his staff were involved in the Watergate scandal cover-up, President Nixon initially denied any knowledge, attempting to place blame on his subordinates connected to the event. However, after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the release of tapes which implicated Nixon in the cover-up, he accepted blame for the scandal. He then became the first U.S. president to resign from office on August 8, 1974, after being warned that he would likely be found guilty by the Senate and removed from office. His successor, Gerald Ford, granted him a presidential pardon shortly thereafter.
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