Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 158 › Conversation 158-036

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David

Saturday, December 30, 1972 · 10:02 AM–10:04 AM ET · Camp David Study Table · 13 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation158-036 on Tape 158StartSaturday, December 30, 1972 at 10:02 AMEndSaturday, December 30, 1972 at 10:04 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 158-036 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated a brief communication with the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with National Security Advisor Henry A. Kissinger. The discussion was purely administrative, serving as a logistical step to coordinate high-level foreign policy consultations during the President's stay at Camp David. No policy decisions were made during this exchange, which functioned solely to bridge the President's connection to his key advisor.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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NARA Description

On December 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:02 am and 10:04 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 158-036 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 158-36

Date: December 30, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:02 am and 10:04 am
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 237-45]

       Request for a call to Henry A. Kissinger

Also recorded on December 30, 1972

  • 158-035 9:53 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 9:53 am to 10:02 am.
  • 237-044 9:53 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 9:53 am to 10:02 am.
  • 237-045 10:02 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:02 am and 10:04 am.
  • 158-037 10:04 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:04 am to 10:12 am.
  • 237-046 10:04 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:04 am to 10:12 am.
  • 158-038 10:12 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:54 am.
  • 237-047 10:12 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and William Hirsch met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:54 am.
  • 237-048 10:12 AM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:54 am.

All 64 conversations from December 30, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 158-036, December 30, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/158-036 (accessed September 18, 2026).