Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 24 › Conversation 024-003
Kissinger phone call on Kenneth Rush and Department of Defense
Monday, May 8, 1972 · 1:35 PM–2:10 PM ET · White House Telephone · 12 sec
AI Summary
Henry Kissinger contacts the White House operator to place an urgent call to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kenneth Rush. This brief administrative interaction serves as the logistical precursor to a high-level diplomatic or military consultation between Kissinger and the Department of Defense. No policy discussions occur, as the exchange is strictly limited to the request for the connection.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 8, 1972, Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:35 pm and 2:10 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 024-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 24-3
Date: May 8, 1972
Time: Unknown between 1:35 pm and 2:10 pm
Location: White House Telephone
Henry A. Kissinger talked with the White House operator.
[See also Conversation No. 336-8A]
Request for a call to [David] Kenneth RushAlso recorded on May 8, 1972
- 024-002 12:21 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 12:21 pm to 12:22 pm.
- 336-008 1:15 PM · 1 hr 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, [David] Kenneth Rush, White House operator, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:15 pm to 2:30 pm.
- 721-012 1:15 PM · 44 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:15 pm and 8:40 pm.
- 721-013 1:15 PM · 34 sec — Stephen B. Bull and United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:15 pm and 8:40 pm.
- 024-004 1:35 PM · 2 min — Henry A. Kissinger and [David] Kenneth Rush talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:35 pm and 2:10 pm.
- 336-009 2:33 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:33 pm to 2:35 pm.
- 336-010 2:35 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:35 pm and 3:45 pm.
- 336-011 2:35 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:35 pm and 3:45 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 024-003, May 8, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/024-003 (accessed October 9, 2026).