Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 13 › Conversation 013-043

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Foreign aid and U.S. Senate

Friday, October 29, 1971 · 7:56 PM–7:59 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation013-043 on Tape 13 (tape position 01:29:27–01:32:05)StartFriday, October 29, 1971 at 7:56 PMEndFriday, October 29, 1971 at 7:59 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 013-043 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the Senate's unexpected vote to reject the foreign aid program and the lack of reconsideration. Kissinger advises issuing a strong public statement condemning the action as an irresponsible departure from 25 years of bipartisan foreign policy. Nixon approves the plan, agreeing that the administration should demand immediate reconsideration and hold the Senate accountable for the potential consequences.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 38% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Mr. President, we just got word that the Senate has voted down the entire foreign aid program by a vote of 41 to 27.
Oh boy.
And that they have also voted against reconsideration.
Now, I would recommend that we put out, they can't stick with that.
And I would recommend that we put out a rather tough statement tonight, saying that there's under 25 years of bipartisan foreign policy, that the same people who have prevented, will draft it if you agree with the concept and read it to you, that the same group that has blocked the reorganization of the foreign aid program has now killed it manfully or was the leader of it.
How did Scott vote?
Republican for Scott Griffith voted for killing him, too.
But at any rate, we put out a very strong statement in saying that you are asking for immediate reconsideration and that those who
who will kill the foreign aid program will be responsible to the American people for the consequences.
Well, the problem we have there is whether we believe in this or not.
I don't see how they can maintain killing the foreign aid program.
There's very small votes in a lot of absentees.
I don't see that there's a chance that all the eastern papers are going to jump on them like crazy.
This is like the first Mansfield Amendment, in my view.
I'd just like to say it's a highly irresponsible action.
The Senate should reconsider the action.
take on individuals, you know what I mean?
No, I'd say it's a highly irresponsible action which, if it is maintained, would undo 25 years of bipartisan foreign policy.
Right, good.
And that you urge immediate reconsideration.
Right, good.
Right, Mr. President, we'll put that out.

NARA Description

On October 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:56 pm to 7:59 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 013-043 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 013-043

Date: October 29, 1971
Time: 7:56 pm - 7:59 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Henry A. Kissinger talked with the President.

     Senate votes on foreign aid program
          -Possible White House response
                -Statement
          -Michael J. Mansfield, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin
          -Possible White House response
          -Eastern newspapers reaction
          -Compared with first Mansfield amendment
          -Possible White House response

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

                 -Statement

Also recorded on October 29, 1971

  • 013-039 4:11 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and 4:55 pm.
  • 013-040 4:55 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John C. Whitaker talked on the telephone from 4:55 pm to 4:56 pm.
  • 608-001 5:20 PM · 49 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Charles W. Colson, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:20 pm to 6:08 pm.
  • 013-041 6:03 PM · 25 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:03 pm and 6:35 pm.
  • 013-042 6:03 PM · 12 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:03 pm and 6:35 pm.
  • 608-002 6:19 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:19 pm to 6:35 pm.
  • 608-003 6:35 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:35 pm to 6:42 pm.
  • 013-044 7:59 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:59 pm to 8:01 pm.

All 65 conversations from October 29, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 013-043, October 29, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/013-043 (accessed September 30, 2026).