Nixon White House TapesTape 17 › Conversation 017-149

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Henry A. Kissinger

Sunday, January 2, 1972 · 4:07 PM–6:35 PM ET · White House Telephone · 8 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation017-149 on Tape 17 (tape position 05:46:21–05:46:29)StartSunday, January 2, 1972 at 4:07 PMEndSunday, January 2, 1972 at 6:35 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 017-149 ↗

President Nixon contacted the White House operator to place a direct phone call to his National Security Advisor, Henry A. Kissinger. This brief administrative exchange served solely as a logistical request to initiate communication with Kissinger. No substantive policy discussions or decisions occurred during this interaction.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, please.
Dr. Kissinger, please.
Thank you, Mr. President.

On January 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:07 pm and 6:35 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-149 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 17-149

Date: January 2, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:07 pm and 6:35 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 311-53]

     Request for a call to Henry A. Kissinger
  • 017-147 3:50 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:50 pm and 3:58 pm.
  • 017-148 3:58 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:58 pm to 4:07 pm.
  • 311-048 3:58 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:58 pm to 4:07 pm.
  • 311-049 4:07 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:07 pm and 6:35 pm.
  • 311-050 4:07 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:07 pm and 6:35 pm.
  • 311-051 4:07 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:07 pm and 6:35 pm.
  • 311-052 4:07 PM · 29 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 4:07 pm and 6:35 pm.
  • 311-053 4:07 PM · 15 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 4:07 pm and 6:35 pm.

Conversation 017-149, January 2, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/017-149 (accessed September 19, 2026).