Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 3 › Conversation 003-215

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Henry Kissinger

Thursday, May 20, 1971 · 8:12 PM–8:14 PM ET · White House Telephone · 5 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation003-215 on Tape 3 (tape position 02:01:09–02:01:19)StartThursday, May 20, 1971 at 8:12 PMEndThursday, May 20, 1971 at 8:14 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 003-215 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted the White House operator to facilitate a telephone connection with his National Security Advisor, Henry A. Kissinger. The exchange serves as a routine administrative request to initiate an urgent high-level communication. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this brief logistical coordination.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.

NARA Description

On May 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:12 pm and 8:14 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-215 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 003-215

Date: May 20, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:12 pm and 8:14 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Call to Henry A. Kissinger

Also recorded on May 21, 1971

  • 003-214 8:00 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:00 pm and 8:11 pm.
  • 003-103 8:11 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 8:11 pm to 8:12 pm.
  • 003-104 8:14 PM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 8:14 pm to 8:16 pm.
  • 003-105 8:25 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 8:25 pm to 8:27 pm.
  • 003-106 8:28 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 8:28 pm to 8:29 pm.
  • 003-107 7:32 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:32 am and 9:37 am.
  • 503-001 8:13 AM · 1 hr 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:13 am and 9:25 am.
  • 503-002 9:25 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:37 am.

All 40 conversations from May 21, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 003-215, May 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/003-215 (accessed October 12, 2026).