Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 3 › Conversation 003-054

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Lincoln Sitting Room

Monday, May 17, 1971 · 7:29 PM–7:30 PM ET · White House Telephone · 10 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation003-054 on Tape 3 (tape position 01:03:12–01:03:22)StartMonday, May 17, 1971 at 7:29 PMEndMonday, May 17, 1971 at 7:30 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 003-054 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger coordinate a brief, informal meeting to take place in the Lincoln Sitting Room. The exchange serves primarily as a logistical check-in to confirm the location for their upcoming discussion. No substantive policy matters are addressed during this short administrative 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Hello, Mr. President.
Oh, Henry?
Yes.
You want to come over to the Lincoln sitting room?
Right.
All right.
No, I wouldn't.

NARA Description

On May 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:29 pm to 7:30 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-054 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 003-054

Date: May 17, 1971
Time: 7:29 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: White House Telephone

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

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     President's schedule
          -Meeting with Kissinger
                 -Location

Also recorded on May 17, 1971

  • 003-053 6:37 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:37 pm and 7:29 pm.
  • 003-055 7:30 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:30 pm and 7:34 pm.
  • 003-056 7:34 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:34 pm.
  • 003-057 7:35 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz talked on the telephone from 7:35 pm to 7:40 pm.

Cite this conversation

Conversation 003-054, May 17, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/003-054 (accessed September 28, 2026).