Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 3 › Conversation 003-216

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Presidential frustration

Friday, May 21, 1971 · 8:36 PM–8:48 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation003-216 on Tape 3 (tape position 02:21:00–02:21:03)StartFriday, May 21, 1971 at 8:36 PMEndFriday, May 21, 1971 at 8:48 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 003-216 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call to an unidentified individual. During the brief interaction, the President expressed frustration regarding the current situation, describing it as the worst he had witnessed. No further details regarding the specific subject of the call or subsequent actions were recorded.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

This is the worst I've ever seen.

NARA Description

On May 21, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:36 pm and 8:48 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-216 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 003-216

Conversation No. 003-216

Date: May 21, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:36 pm and 8:48 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Call to [Name unintelligible]

Also recorded on May 22, 1971

  • 003-114 8:30 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone from 8:30 pm to 8:36 pm.
  • 003-115 8:36 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:36 pm and 8:48 pm.
  • 003-116 8:36 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:36 pm and 8:48 pm.
  • 003-117 8:48 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:48 pm.

Cite this conversation

Conversation 003-216, May 22, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/003-216 (accessed October 12, 2026).