Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-089

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Edward Heath

Saturday, December 25, 1971 · 11:38 AM ET · White House Telephone · 21 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation017-089 on Tape 17 (tape position 03:15:18–03:15:38)StartSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 11:38 AMEndSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 11:38 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 017-089 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed the White House operator to place a long-distance call to British Prime Minister Edward Heath. During the brief exchange, the operator also noted that John D. Ehrlichman had not yet responded to a previous outreach. Nixon confirmed that the call to Heath should be connected whenever it became convenient for the Prime Minister.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, Mr. Erlichman?
Could you try Prime Minister Heath in London, please?
Yes, sir.
And Mr. Erlichman didn't answer yet.
That's all right.
Whenever I get him?
Oh, yes.
Whenever it's convenient.
All right.
Okay.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On December 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:38 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-089 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 17-89

Date: December 25, 1971
Time: 11:38 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Request for a call to Edward R.G. Heath

     John D. Ehrlichman's call

Also recorded on December 25, 1971

  • 017-086 11:29 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford talked on the telephone from 11:29 am to 11:31 am.
  • 017-087 11:31 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:31 am and 11:34 am.
  • 017-088 11:34 AM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield talked on the telephone from 11:34 am to 11:36 am.
  • 017-090 11:38 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:38 am and 11:45 am.
  • 017-091 11:45 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Melvin R. Laird talked on the telephone from 11:45 am to 11:46 am.
  • 017-092 11:47 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Edward R. G. Heath talked on the telephone from 11:47 am to 11:48 am.
  • 017-093 11:49 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and James D. Hodgson talked on the telephone from 11:49 am to 11:51 am.
  • 017-094 11:51 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 11:51 am to 11:55 am.

All 57 conversations from December 25, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 017-089, December 25, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/017-089 (accessed October 10, 2026).