Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 34 › Conversation 034-062

Nixon phone call with Haig on Vietnam War and Henry Kissinger

Wednesday, December 13, 1972 · 11:26 AM–11:28 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation034-062 on Tape 34StartWednesday, December 13, 1972 at 11:26 AMEndWednesday, December 13, 1972 at 11:28 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 034-062 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the status of Vietnam peace negotiations following Haig's recent communication with Henry Kissinger. They address Kissinger’s exhausted state and sensitive mood upon his return, agreeing to postpone a meeting until he has rested. Haig commits to sending Kissinger a message that conveys the President's strategic input regarding future planning and Vice President Agnew's upcoming trip in a manner that avoids unnecessary friction.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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General Haig, Mr. President.
Yeah.
Thank you.
The President, sir.
Ah, hello.
Yes, sir.
Yeah.
I just talked to Henry.
Yeah.
He said there was more of the same.
Yeah, sure.
That he'll get on the plane at 9 tonight.
He gave me three general themes for the press, which I've given to Ron.
Yeah.
And he also said that this won't get him in here until
Well, we won't meet tonight then.
I thought we ought to hold off.
I'll tell him to go to bed.
Fine, sir.
And I told him I'd send him a message with your thinking based on our meeting this morning.
He's very, very touchy and tired, obviously.
Yeah.
Well, you can mollify the thing so it doesn't sound, you know— Yes, sir.
They've given him a rough time, huh?
Yes, apparently.
He's in one of those low moods, but I think I'll give him a beat message and we'll just—when he gets some rest he'll be better.
What's gotten him so touchy?
Well, I think—I told him on the phone that you agree generally with his analysis, but that we wanted to think and discuss certain aspects of the—
to be taken and the upcoming trip.
And the Agnew trip, right.
And then he sort of flew back on that.
Felt that he should decide on it.
Well, that's right.
That's all right.
We are normal.
Right.
And I'll get a message off and just put these things, questions in a way that he can think about them.
Right, right.
But not in a way designed to— I understand.
Right.
Okay, good.

NARA Description

On December 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 11:26 am to 11:28 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 034-062 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 34-62

Date: December 13, 1972
Time: 11:26 am - 11:28 am
                                                -51-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                             Conversation No. 34-62 (cont’d)

Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

[See Conversation No. 381-1A]

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Haig’s recent conversation with Henry A. Kissinger
                  -Kissinger’s return
                        -Timing
                  -Themes for press
                        -Ronald L. Ziegler
            -Kissinger’s schedule
            -Message for Kissinger
                  -The President’s recent meeting with Haig
            -Kissinger’s mood
                  -Haig’s recent conversation with Kissinger
                        -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s trip
            -Message for Kissinger

Also recorded on December 13, 1972

  • 385-028 10:50 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:50 am and 10:54 am.
  • 385-029 10:50 AM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:50 am and 10:54 am.
  • 034-059 10:54 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 11:19 am.
  • 381-001 10:54 AM · 1 hr 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:54 am to 12:25 pm.
  • 385-030 10:54 AM · 26 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 11:21 am.
  • 034-060 11:19 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 11:19 am to 11:21 am.
  • 034-061 11:22 AM · 13 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:22 am.
  • 381-002 12:25 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:25 pm and 12:28 pm.

All 47 conversations from December 13, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 034-062, December 13, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/034-062 (accessed October 5, 2026).