Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 31 › Conversation 031-071

Nixon phone call with Fast on US-Soviet relations and Wheat deal

Monday, October 16, 1972 · 4:49 PM–4:51 PM ET · White House Telephone · 39 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Fast, William M.Conversation031-071 on Tape 31StartMonday, October 16, 1972 at 4:49 PMEndMonday, October 16, 1972 at 4:51 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 031-071 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon spoke with William M. Fast regarding the recent grain agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union. Fast expressed his gratitude for the deal, noting its positive impact on the maritime industry. The President emphasized his hope that the arrangement would stimulate domestic employment through increased trade activity.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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You are...
And thanks for that wheat deal, too.
This has really helped us, not only, but all of our time.
Yeah, that we made, I signed up with, we worked that out with the Russians just last week.
But let's hope it means a few jobs.
Sir.
Right.
Thank you.
I don't know what to say.
Well, thank you, and good luck to you.
Thank you.
Bye.
Bye.

NARA Description

On October 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and William M. Fast talked on the telephone from 4:49 pm to 4:51 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 031-071 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 31-71

Date: October 16, 1972
Time: 4:49 pm - 4:51 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with William M. Fast.

[See Conversation No. 799-32]

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 26s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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        Foreign trade
            -US-Soviet Union wheat deal
                 -Effect on maritime industry
                 -The President’s view
                 -Possible effect on employment in the US

Also recorded on October 16, 1972

  • 031-069 4:45 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:45 pm.
  • 031-070 4:45 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Robert A. Forst talked on the telephone from 4:45 pm to 4:46 pm.
  • 799-028 4:45 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 4:45 pm.
  • 799-029 4:45 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 4:45 pm.
  • 799-031 4:46 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:46 pm and 4:49 pm.
  • 799-032 4:49 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and William M. Fast met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:49 pm to 4:51 pm.
  • 031-072 4:52 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Joseph Townsley talked on the telephone from 4:52 pm to 4:53 pm.
  • 799-033 4:52 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Joseph Townsley met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:52 pm to 4:53 pm.

All 97 conversations from October 16, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 031-071, October 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/031-071 (accessed October 12, 2026).