Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 2 › Conversation 002-051

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Henry Kissinger

Tuesday, April 27, 1971 · 7:45 PM–8:16 PM ET · White House Telephone · 8 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation002-051 on Tape 2 (tape position 01:35:13–01:35:20)StartTuesday, April 27, 1971 at 7:45 PMEndTuesday, April 27, 1971 at 8:16 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 002-051 ↗

President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to determine the availability of National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. Upon learning that Kissinger was currently occupied in the barber chair, the President requested to be notified once he finished. This brief interaction served as a logistical coordination to facilitate an upcoming discussion between the two men.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello?
Uh, Dr. Kissinger's in the barber chair now.
Oh, fine.
When he finishes.
All right.

On April 27, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:45 pm and 8:16 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 002-051 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 2-51

Date: April 27, 1971
Time: Unknown between 7:45 pm and 8:16 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

     Henry A. Kissinger's location
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       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
  • 488-023 4:52 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:52 pm and 4:57 pm.
  • 488-024 4:57 PM · 52 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Stephen B. Bull, William P. Rogers, Elmer H. Bobst, White House photographer, White House operator, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:57 pm to 5:52 pm.
  • 002-047 5:13 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:13 pm.
  • 002-048 5:13 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:13 pm and 5:24 pm.
  • 002-049 5:24 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 5:24 pm to 5:25 pm.
  • 488-025 5:54 PM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Edwin D. Etherington, Thomas R. Donnell, Jr., Albert L. Cole, Max M. Fisher, Henry Ford, II, Leonard H. Goldenson, Gustave Levy, Raymon H. Mulford, Frank Pace, Jr., Paul Sonnabend, W. Clement Stone, Lynn A. Townsend, and George L. Grassmuck met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:54 pm to 6:15 pm.
  • 488-026 6:15 PM · 37 sec — Alexander P. Butterfield and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:15 pm and 6:19 pm.
  • 002-050 7:45 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:45 pm.

Conversation 002-051, April 27, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/002-051 (accessed October 12, 2026).