Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 4 › Conversation 004-045

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on John D. Ehrlichman

Friday, June 4, 1971 · 8:27 PM–8:56 PM ET · White House Telephone · 15 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation004-045 on Tape 4 (tape position 02:12:41–02:12:56)StartFriday, June 4, 1971 at 8:27 PMEndFriday, June 4, 1971 at 8:56 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 004-045 ↗

President Nixon contacted the White House operator to facilitate urgent communications with his senior staff. He requested that the operator connect him with John D. Ehrlichman while also inquiring about the current whereabouts of Henry A. Kissinger. The operator confirmed these requests and initiated the process to locate both individuals for the President.

Download MP3 · 0.2 MB

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.

Yes, sir.
Mr. Ehrlichman, please.
Mr. Ehrlichman?
Yeah.
Mr. President, Dr. Kissinger, I have a number where he's supposed to be.
Should I go ahead and try to get him?
He's out.
Well, if it's convenient, yes.
I'll try, sir, and I'll get Mr. Ehrlichman for you.

On June 4, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:27 pm and 8:56 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 004-045 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 4-45

Date: June 4, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:27 pm and 8:56 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     President asked to speak with John D. Ehrlichman

     Henry A. Kissinger location
  • 004-041 8:03 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 8:03 pm to 8:05 pm.
  • 004-042 8:05 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:05 pm and 8:25 pm.
  • 004-043 8:25 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 8:25 pm to 8:27 pm.
  • 004-044 8:27 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:27 pm and 8:56 pm.
  • 004-046 8:56 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 8:56 pm to 9:02 pm.
  • 004-047 9:03 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 9:03 pm to 9:08 pm.

Conversation 004-045, June 5, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/004-045 (accessed October 14, 2026).