Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 16 › Conversation 016-116

Nixon phone call with Hartley on Retirement and Staff recognition

Saturday, December 18, 1971 · 3:35 PM–3:36 PM ET · White House Telephone · 44 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Hartley, Muriel L.Conversation016-116 on Tape 16 (tape position 03:58:40–03:59:24)StartSaturday, December 18, 1971 at 3:35 PMEndSaturday, December 18, 1971 at 3:36 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 016-116 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Muriel L. Hartley to personally express his appreciation for her thirty years of government service upon her retirement. He specifically highlighted her essential contributions to the work of Alexander Haig and Henry Kissinger within the National Security Council. The brief exchange served as a formal gesture of gratitude for her long-standing dedication in a high-pressure environment.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
I have Mrs. Hartley on.
Hello, Mr. President.
Hello.
Al Haig was telling me that you were finishing 30 years of work for the government today, and I just wanted you to know how much we appreciated it.
That's right, sir, and thank you very much.
We appreciate it.
You've been really a tower of strength for us over there, and that...
I must say that's a real hot box where you work, isn't it?
Well, I've enjoyed every minute of it.
Yeah, yeah, right down in the salt mine.
Well, we do appreciate it, and what you do for Al and Henry and the rest has been a very great assistance.
We hope that it will soon be recognized every place.
Thank you very much, sir.
Thank you, and have a good day.
Bye.
Bye.

NARA Description

On December 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Muriel L. Hartley talked on the telephone from 3:35 pm to 3:36 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-116 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 16-116

Date: December 18, 1971
Time: 3:35 pm - 3:36 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Muriel L. Hartley.

[See Conversation No. 310-12]

     The President congratulates Hartley on her retirement
          -Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
          -Henry A. Kissinger

Also recorded on December 18, 1971

  • 016-113 2:45 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:45 pm.
  • 310-009 2:45 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 2:45 pm.
  • 016-114 3:05 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 3:05 pm to 3:09 pm.
  • 310-010 3:05 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:05 pm to 3:09 pm.
  • 016-115 3:09 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:09 pm and 3:35 pm.
  • 310-011 3:09 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:09 pm and 3:35 pm.
  • 310-012 3:35 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Muriel L. Hartley met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:35 pm to 3:36 pm.
  • 016-117 3:36 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:36 pm and 5:26 pm.

All 52 conversations from December 18, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 016-116, December 18, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-116 (accessed October 11, 2026).