Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 23 › Conversation 023-164

Nixon phone call with Brennan on Labor relations and Department of Labor

Friday, May 5, 1972 · 8:55 AM–8:58 AM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Brennan, Peter J.Conversation023-164 on Tape 23StartFriday, May 5, 1972 at 8:55 AMEndFriday, May 5, 1972 at 8:58 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 023-164 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and labor leader Peter J. Brennan discussed the potential appointment of a candidate to a Department of Labor position, for which the President offered his personal endorsement. The conversation also touched upon the political climate, including Brennan's favorable impression of Teamster official Joseph Trerotola. Finally, Nixon briefed Brennan on the escalating military situation in Vietnam and solicited his support for anticipated, stronger U.S. actions intended to secure the release of American POWs.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
Peter Brennan, sir.
Yeah.
Hello.
Good morning, Mr. President.
Hi, how are you?
Fine, thank you.
You, sir?
Well, you got a good day up there.
I hope they tell me the weather's been a little spotty, like here in Washington.
Well, it's a little cloudy, but it's going to clear up.
Great, great.
About what I was calling you about, I was talking to Chuck Colson, and I haven't been able to keep in touch with him myself, but as you know, he has been, and John Mitchell and others have been talking to
your man, Mr. Rogers.
Right.
And we are extremely anxious to, if we could get him aboard, to have him, if it's no embarrassment to you, or if you can spare him.
I just want you to know that he has my personal approval, but as you know, it's your decision, but I just want you to know that.
Yes.
Well, we're working it out.
I think something can be done.
That's really great.
Good man.
Good man.
I had a very good talk yesterday with a fellow, said he's a good friend of yours, with the Vice President Teamsters up there in New York.
Joe Trotola?
They call him Joe T. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
He is quite a fellow.
He's a good man.
Fitz was down for the pay board, and he brought him in and a couple others, and I talked to him.
Boy, I'll tell you, he's a strong man.
He was talking about an interesting thing he apparently had.
been to St. Patrick's on the day that some of the nuns had been demonstrating and then rolled something down the aisle.
Boy, he was really, really stirred up.
He says if his wife hadn't have been there, he'd have gone out there and made them get out.
I think it's a little ridiculous, but I think you're holding it well.
If everything just starts to move better in Oman, Vietnam, I think it should be good.
Well, we may have to take some stronger action here in the near future, and if we do, I hope you support it.
The main purpose being just we've got to get our POWs out and turn the thing around.
Because what is happening, I can tell you, is that there's a...
The South Vietnamese are fighting under all circumstances bravely as men.
The Soviet Union has given the North Vietnamese huge tanks, big guns.
Mallard was reporting the other day 11 new weapon systems that we've never seen before.
Well, that sort of thing is pretty rough, you know, when they're coming in.
And so, but they're holding on.
And our Air Force and Davy are just doing a wonderful job.
That's all we've got in there, you know, but without that, the South Vietnamese would be gone.
Well, I think you're doing the right thing, and I just wish the newspapers would start to realize what this means to the country instead of downgrading everything.
Well, I think we've got to live with that.
That, unfortunately, is the life right now.
Well, main thing, I always say to them, whenever they get discouraged, well, we've got the best guys on our side.
Right.
Good to talk to you.
Good to speak to you, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On May 5, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Peter J. Brennan talked on the telephone from 8:55 am to 8:58 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-164 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 23-164

Date: May 5, 1972
Time: 8:55-8:58 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Peter J. Brennan.

[See also Conversation No. 720-4]

     Greetings

     Weather in New York

     Department of Labor and labor
         -Charles W. Colson and John N. Mitchell
         -William J. Rogers
              -Appointment
                    -Arrangements
         -Joseph Trerotola
              -Meeting with the President
                    -Frank E. Fitzsimmons
              -Qualities
              -Attendance at a demonstration of nuns

     Vietnam
          -US actions
               -Brennan's support
               -Prisoners of war [POWs]
          -South Vietnamese
          -North Vietnamese
               -Soviet support
               -Equipment
          -US forces
               -Air Force
               -Navy
          -The President's policies
               -Criticism
                     -Newspapers
               -Supporters

Also recorded on May 5, 1972

  • 023-163 8:44 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:44 am and 8:55 am.
  • 720-001 8:45 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:45 am to 8:48 am.
  • 720-002 8:50 AM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:50 am to 8:51 am.
  • 720-003 8:51 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:51 am and 8:55 am.
  • 720-004 8:55 AM · 1 hr 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Peter J. Brennan, Rose Mary Woods, Stephen B. Bull, Henry A. Kissinger, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:55 am to 10:09 am.
  • 100-002 11:37 AM · 3 min — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 11:37 am on May 5, 1972 and 9:10 am on May 8, 1972.
  • 100-003 11:37 AM · 2 min — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 11:37 am on May 5, 1972 and 9:10 am on May 8, 1972.
  • 100-004 11:37 AM · 16 sec — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 11:37 am on May 5, 1972 and 9:10 am on May 8, 1972.

All 54 conversations from May 5, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 023-164, May 5, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/023-164 (accessed October 9, 2026).