Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 2 › Conversation 002-017

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Henry Kissinger

Tuesday, April 20, 1971 · 7:33 PM–7:34 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation002-017 on Tape 2 (tape position 00:18:16–00:18:26)StartTuesday, April 20, 1971 at 7:33 PMEndTuesday, April 20, 1971 at 7:34 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 002-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiates a brief telephone call through the White House operator to contact his National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger. The purpose of the communication is to establish a direct line of connection between the President and Kissinger to facilitate immediate discussion of official business. No substantive policy matters are addressed in this short segment beyond the operational request to place the call.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Dr. Kessinger, please.

Thank you.

NARA Description

On April 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:33 pm and 7:34 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 002-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 2-17

Date: April 20, 1971
Time: Unknown between 7:33 pm and 7:34 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Call to Henry A. Kissinger

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       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

Also recorded on April 21, 1971

002-016 7:30 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 7:30 pm to 7:33 pm.
002-018 7:34 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:34 pm.
002-019 7:40 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:40 pm to 7:43 pm.
002-020 7:43 PM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:43 pm and 7:45 pm.
002-021 7:45 PM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 7:45 pm to 7:57 pm.
484-011 12:46 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 am and 12:50 am.
484-012 12:46 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 am and 12:50 am.
484-001 8:52 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:52 am and 8:57 am.

All 46 conversations from April 21, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 002-017, April 21, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/002-017 (accessed October 12, 2026).