Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 23 › Conversation 023-160
Kissinger phone call on Thomas H. Moorer and Joint Chiefs of Staff
Thursday, May 4, 1972 · 3:55 PM–5:15 PM ET · White House Telephone ·11 sec
AI Summary
Henry A. Kissinger requested that the White House operator connect him with Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This administrative coordination served as a precursor to a substantive discussion between the two officials. The conversation was limited to the initiation of this secure communication channel.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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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 3:55 pm and 5:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-160 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 23-160
Date: May 4, 1972
Time: Unknown between 3:55 and 5:15 pm
Location: White House Telephone
Henry A. Kissinger talked with the White House operator.
[See also Conversation No. 334-44I]
Request for a call to Thomas H. MoorerAlso recorded on May 4, 1972
- 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.
- 023-156 3:04 PM · 18 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.
- 023-158 3:55 PM · 51 sec — Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 5:15 pm.
- 023-159 3:55 PM · 11 sec — Alexander P. Butterfield, Henry A. Kissinger, President Richard M. Nixon, and John B. Connally talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 5:15 pm.
- 023-161 3:55 PM · 7 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 5:15 pm.
- 023-162 3:55 PM · 41 sec — Alexander M. Haig, Jr., White House operator, and Muriel Hartley talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 5:25 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 023-160, 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/023-160 (accessed September 18, 2026).