Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 16 › Conversation 016-118

Nixon phone call with Connally on Group of Ten

Saturday, December 18, 1971 · 5:26 PM–5:28 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Connally, John B.Conversation016-118 on Tape 16 (tape position 03:59:30–04:00:46)StartSaturday, December 18, 1971 at 5:26 PMEndSaturday, December 18, 1971 at 5:28 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 016-118 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John B. Connally coordinated the President’s arrival at the Group of Ten meeting to mark the successful negotiation of complex international currency realignments. Connally advised the President to congratulate the delegates and escort them to the press to highlight the historic significance of their agreement. The two agreed that the President would deliver brief remarks emphasizing the unprecedented nature and difficulty of the achievement.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I think we've got it wrapped up.
We were just trying to put the final touches on the communique, so nothing embarrassing.
We still do not have the tables that we need, but I think you can come over.
I tell you what I've done.
I've delayed my New York departure.
I was able to do some finagling with the...
motorcade up there i delayed it 20 minutes so it's great if i could uh come now how long does it take to get from here down about 10 minutes five minutes fine and then if i could get away from there by uh 10 minutes till six six is about as late as you can certainly do that fine all right we're in executive session may i suggest to you that you come right now that you come now that you come right on in and uh congratulate everybody congratulate them and meet them and then if you wish take them to the press i would strongly recommend that you
We'll escort the whole group to the press.
Escort the group to the press.
And then who, I'll say a word.
Just brag on them.
Oh, I am.
What they've done, that this was the most, not only the most historic, the most difficult, the most far-reaching.
And the only time it's ever been done in the history of nations, where we sat down and arranged this complicated, a realignment of rates.
Yeah, right.
Never been anything like it.
Good.
All right, I'm on the way.
All right, sir.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On December 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 5:26 pm to 5:28 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-118 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 16-118

Date: December 18, 1971
Time: 5:26 pm - 5:28 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John B. Connally.

[See Conversation No. 639-20]

     Group of Ten meeting

     President’s schedule
           -President’s appearance at the Group of Ten meeting
           -Press
                 -Presidential announcement
                       -Historical significance

Also recorded on December 18, 1971

  • 639-025 5:03 PM · 1 hr 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Jerrold L. Schecter, Hugh S. Sidey, Hedley W. Donovan, Henry A. Grunwald, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:03 pm to 6:35 pm.
  • 639-015 5:05 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:05 pm and 5:12 pm.
  • 639-016 5:05 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:05 pm and 5:12 pm.
  • 639-017 5:05 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:05 pm and 5:12 pm.
  • 639-018 5:12 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:12 pm to 5:20 pm.
  • 639-019 5:20 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:20 pm and 5:26 pm.
  • 639-020 5:26 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:26 pm to 5:28 pm.
  • 639-021 5:28 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 5:28 pm.

All 52 conversations from December 18, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 016-118, 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/016-118 (accessed October 11, 2026).