Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 23 › Conversation 023-156
Kissinger phone call on Kenneth Rush and Department of Defense
Thursday, May 4, 1972 · 3:04 PM–3:44 PM ET · White House Telephone · 18 sec
AI Summary
Henry A. Kissinger contacted the White House operator to facilitate an urgent communication with Deputy Secretary of Defense Kenneth Rush. The brief interaction focused solely on placing the call, with the operator confirming the recipient's identity after a brief clarification. This exchange served as a logistical step to enable high-level coordination between the National Security Advisor and the Department of Defense.
- Henry A. Kissinger
- Kenneth Rush
- Department of Defense
- Communication logistics
- National security coordination
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On May 4, 1972, Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:44 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-156 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 23-156
Date: May 4, 1972
Time: Unknown between 3:04 and 3:44 pm
Location: White House Telephone
Henry A. Kissinger talked with the White House operator.
[See also Conversation No. 334-44D]
Request for a call to Deputy Secretary of Defense
-[David] Kenneth RushAlso recorded on May 4, 1972
- 023-152 2:51 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard A. Moore talked on the telephone from 2:51 pm to 2:57 pm.
- 334-042 2:57 PM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:57 pm and 3:02 pm.
- 334-043 2:57 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ray Conniff, Alexander P. Butterfield, and White House photographer met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:57 pm and 3:03 pm.
- 023-153 3:04 PM · 8 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:44 pm.
- 023-154 3:04 PM · 31 sec — the White House operator, Henry A. Kissinger, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:44 pm.
- 023-155 3:04 PM · 2 min — the White House operator, Henry A. Kissinger, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and John B. Connally talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:44 pm.
- 023-157 3:04 PM · 17 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:44 pm.
- 334-044 3:04 PM · 2 hr 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, John B. Connally, unknown person(s), Manolo Sanchez, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 5:35 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 023-156, May 4, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/023-156 (accessed October 9, 2026).