Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 16 › Conversation 016-031

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Henry Kissinger

Monday, December 6, 1971 · 11:05 PM–11:11 PM ET · White House Telephone ·5 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  [Unknown person(s)];  White House operatorConversation016-031 onTape 16 (tape position 01:05:33–01:05:40)StartMonday, December 6, 1971 at 11:05 PMEndMonday, December 6, 1971 at 11:11 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 016-031 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiates a call through the White House operator to contact Henry A. Kissinger. The brief communication serves as a logistical bridge to facilitate direct consultation between the President and his National Security Advisor. No substantive policy matters are discussed, as the interaction is limited to the procedural request for connection.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Kissinger, please.

NARA Description

On December 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:05 pm and 11:11 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-031 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 16-31

Date: December 6, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:05 pm and 11:11 pm
Location: White House Telephone

[The President conferred with an unknown person]

[End of conferral]

The President talked to the White House operator.

     Request for a call to Henry A. Kissinger

Also recorded on December 7, 1971

  • 016-029 10:56 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 10:56 pm to 10:57 pm.
  • 016-030 10:58 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 10:58 pm to 11:05 pm.
  • 016-032 11:11 PM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:11 pm and 11:12 pm.
  • 016-033 11:12 PM · 9 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:12 pm and 11:28 pm.
  • 016-034 11:12 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:12 pm and 11:28 pm.
  • 016-134 11:28 PM · 4 sec — Unknown person(s) and the White House operator talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 11:28 pm on December 6, 1971 and 8:06 am on December 7, 1971.
  • 016-035 8:06 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:06 am and 6:51 pm.
  • 631-001 12:57 PM · 19 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:57 pm and 1:58 pm.

All 20 conversations from December 7, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 016-031, December 7, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-031 (accessed September 18, 2026).