Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-090
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Melvin Laird
Saturday, December 25, 1971 · 11:38 AM–11:45 AM ET · White House Telephone · 13 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon instructed the White House operator to place a telephone call to Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird. The brief exchange served as a logistical step to initiate direct communication between the President and the Secretary on Christmas Day. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this brief connection request.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On December 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:38 am and 11:45 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-090 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 17-90
Date: December 25, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:38 am and 11:45 am
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
Request for a call to Melvin R. LaridAlso recorded on December 25, 1971
- 017-086 11:29 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford talked on the telephone from 11:29 am to 11:31 am.
- 017-087 11:31 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:31 am and 11:34 am.
- 017-088 11:34 AM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield talked on the telephone from 11:34 am to 11:36 am.
- 017-089 11:38 AM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:38 am.
- 017-091 11:45 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Melvin R. Laird talked on the telephone from 11:45 am to 11:46 am.
- 017-092 11:47 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Edward R. G. Heath talked on the telephone from 11:47 am to 11:48 am.
- 017-093 11:49 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and James D. Hodgson talked on the telephone from 11:49 am to 11:51 am.
- 017-094 11:51 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 11:51 am to 11:55 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 017-090, December 25, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/017-090 (accessed September 22, 2026).