Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 403 › Conversation 403-021

Nixon & Kissinger on Lyndon B. Johnson and Vietnam settlement

Wednesday, January 31, 1973 · 10:56 AM–11:28 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation403-021 on Tape 403StartWednesday, January 31, 1973 at 10:56 AMEndWednesday, January 31, 1973 at 11:28 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 403-021 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to prepare for an upcoming press conference by anticipating potential questions regarding the administration's past communications with Lyndon B. Johnson. They focused specifically on establishing a clear timeline and confirmation of calls made by Kissinger, H.R. Haldeman, and the President to Johnson following the recent Vietnam peace settlement. The discussion functioned as a briefing to ensure the President could accurately address inquiries concerning these sensitive political contacts.

Audio

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NARA Description

On January 31, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:56 am and 11:28 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 403-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 403-21

Date: January 31, 1973
Time: Unknown between 10:56 am and 11:28 am
                                                -16-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                              Conversation No. 403-21 (cont’d)

Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

       President's press conference
             -Possible questions
                    -Lyndon B. Johnson
                          -Calls from Kissinger
                          -Calls from President
                          -Calls
                                 -Dates
                          -Call from H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                                 -Vietnam settlement

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

Henry, I don't know whether it'll come up, but did you call Johnson after the scandal?

I don't remember the scandal.

No, that wasn't mine.

But I talked to him after that.

Anybody talk to him after that?

Okay, good.

I got it.

Right.

Good.

I got it.

I just want to be sure.

Good, good, thank you.

Also recorded on January 31, 1973

043-006 10:10 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 10:10 am to 10:18 am.
403-017 10:10 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 10:10 am.
403-019 10:18 AM · 35 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Peter J. Brennan, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:18 am to 10:56 am.
043-007 10:56 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:56 am and 12:34 pm.
403-020 10:56 AM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:56 am and 11:28 am.
403-022 10:56 AM · 11 sec — Rose Mary Woods and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:56 am and 11:28 am.
403-023 10:56 AM · 41 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 10:56 am and 12:34 pm.
403-024 10:56 AM · 9 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 10:56 am and 12:34 pm.

All 52 conversations from January 31, 1973 →

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Vietnam settlement March 1, 1973 · 2 min
Nixon & Sanchez on Vietnam settlement and 1973 Inauguration January 19, 1973 · 9 min
Haldeman & Timmons on Lyndon B. Johnson and Congressional relations January 23, 1973 · 3 min
Haldeman & Timmons on Vietnam settlement and Congressional relations January 23, 1973 · 5 min
Nixon alone in the Oval Office on Lyndon B. Johnson and funeral service January 25, 1973 · 4 min
Nixon alone in his EOB office on Vietnam settlement and Inauguration January 22, 1973 · 12 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 403-021, January 31, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/403-021 (accessed November 3, 2026).