Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 34 › Conversation 034-080

Nixon phone call with Getty on Birthday greetings and Diplomatic relations

Thursday, December 14, 1972 · 3:04 PM–3:05 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Getty, Jean PaulConversation034-080 on Tape 34StartThursday, December 14, 1972 at 3:04 PMEndThursday, December 14, 1972 at 3:05 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 034-080 ↗

President Nixon telephoned Jean Paul Getty to extend warm personal wishes on the occasion of Getty’s 80th birthday. The conversation served to reaffirm their ongoing friendship and included a brief mention of Tricia Nixon Cox’s travel plans to 10 Downing Street. Getty expressed his strong personal support for the President’s administration before the call concluded with mutual well-wishes.

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Go ahead, please.
Hello?
Hello?
I just called to wish you a happy 80th birthday.
Mr. Preston, I can't tell you how much I'm touched by the thought that you, with all your burden of work,
Well, we remember our visit there and we came to see you and maybe my daughter may get out late to your party tonight.
They're going to 10 Downing Street and I don't know, but I just wanted you to know that Mrs. Nixon and I sent our very best.
We've appreciated your friendship.
And you have a great life to look back on and a great life to look forward to.
Well, thank you very much, Mr. President.
And I can't tell you how much I've been heartened by your wise administration.
We've still got a few problems, but we'll work them out.
All right.
Good luck.
Thank you very much.

On December 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Jean Paul Getty talked on the telephone from 3:04 pm to 3:05 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 034-080 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 34-80

Date: December 14, 1972
Time: 3:04 pm - 3:05 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with J[ean] Paul Getty.

[See Conversation No. 383-1A]

       Birthday greetings
             -The President’s previous visit to Getty
             -Tricia Nixon Cox
                   -10 Downing Street
             - Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

       Expression of support
  • 383-002 3:24 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:24 pm and 3:25 pm.
  • 034-081 3:25 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:25 pm.
  • 034-082 3:25 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 3:29 pm.
  • 383-003 3:25 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:25 pm.
  • 383-004 3:25 PM · 13 sec — 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 3:25 pm and 3:29 pm.
  • 383-005 3:25 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 3:29 pm.
  • 383-006 3:29 PM · 2 hr 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Arthur Krock, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John A. Scali, Manolo Sanchez, John D. Ehrlichman, unknown person(s), White House operator, and George P. Shultz met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:29 pm to 6:01 pm.
  • 034-083 3:32 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Arthur Krock talked on the telephone from 3:32 pm to 3:35 pm.

Conversation 034-080, December 14, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/034-080 (accessed September 28, 2026).