Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 34 › Conversation 034-020

Nixon phone call with Cox on Air travel and Security

Tuesday, December 5, 1972 · 9:44 AM–9:45 AM ET · White House Telephone · 56 sec

ParticipantsCox, Tricia Nixon; Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation034-020 on Tape 34StartTuesday, December 5, 1972 at 9:44 AMEndTuesday, December 5, 1972 at 9:45 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 034-020 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 647841644 ↗

AI Summary

Tricia Nixon Cox and President Richard M. Nixon discussed travel arrangements for an upcoming trip to Europe. Addressing concerns over terrorism and hijacking, Tricia sought the President’s guidance on whether to utilize military or commercial aircraft. Nixon ultimately directed that commercial flights be used for the European portion of the travel, while granting flexibility for flights within the Soviet Union.

Audio

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NARA Description

On December 5, 1972, Tricia Nixon Cox and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 9:44 am to 9:45 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 034-020 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 34-20

Date: December 5, 1972
Time: 9:44 am - 9:45 am
Location: White House Telephone
                                               -18-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                            Conversation No. 34-20 (cont’d)

Tricia Nixon Cox talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 387-4D]

       Jeanne W. [?] Davis view of travel plans in Europe
            -Use of military aircraft
                  -Terrorism
                        -Hijacking
                  -The President's approval
                        -Schedule
                        -Commercial aircraft
                        -Soviet Union

Transcript (AI-generated)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Yeah.
Ms. Patricia calling you, sir.
You are?
Yeah.
Thank you.
Patty, hi.
Yeah.
I'm just going to take a minute of your time because I know you're busy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I heard from Ms. Davis again.
Yeah.
And she said that they recommended taking military aircraft in Europe.
because of the terrorist, you know, the hijack over there.
And she said that she thought you had gone through it and you didn't say anything.
So did that mean you approved it or not?
In other words, you looked over the schedule.
I hadn't signaled that out.
No, I'd... You think we should take commercial?
Yes, sir.
Okay.
In Russia, do what you want, but no, you can't fly with military aircraft in Europe.
No, sir.
Okay, good.
Well, then I will tell her that.
That's right.
Just do the commercial planes.
That's right.
Okay, good.
Okay.
Okay.
Bye.
Thanks, Tony.

Also recorded on December 5, 1972

  • 034-017 8:10 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:10 am and 8:26 am.
  • 387-004 8:10 AM · 1 hr 60 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Col. Richard T. Kennedy, White House operator, Charles W. Colson, unknown person(s), Manolo Sanchez, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:10 am to 9:50 am.
  • 034-018 8:26 AM · 42 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 8:26 am to 8:27 am.
  • 034-019 8:56 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy talked on the telephone from 8:56 am to 8:59 am.
  • 034-021 10:13 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:13 am.
  • 387-005 10:13 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 10:13 am.
  • 387-006 10:13 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:13 am and 10:15 am.
  • 387-007 10:15 AM · 1 hr 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, George P. Shultz, John D. Ehrlichman, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:15 am to 11:38 am.

All 55 conversations from December 5, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 034-020, December 5, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 647841644). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/034-020 (accessed November 1, 2026).