Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 33 › Conversation 033-101

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Second-term reorganization

Saturday, November 18, 1972 · 12:53 PM–12:54 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation033-101 on Tape 33StartSaturday, November 18, 1972 at 12:53 PMEndSaturday, November 18, 1972 at 12:54 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 033-101 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed the administration's second-term reorganization, noting Melvin Laird's acceptance of Elliot Richardson's appointment. The conversation then shifted to the surplus of U.S. military aid in South Vietnam and the potential for dispatching Laird on a diplomatic mission to deliver a firm ultimatum to President Nguyen Van Thieu. They agreed that such a mission, to be accompanied by Alexander Haig, should only occur following the finalization of the Vietnam peace agreement.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Uh, hello.

Dr. Kisner, sir.

There you are.

Incidentally, I'm talking to Laird, uh, a couple things.

He, uh, he's relaxed about Richardson, so I thought that'll work out.

Oh, good.

Uh, the second point that, uh, but more important, Laird said that, uh, talked about the amount of stuff we had out there.

They have 500, for example, uh,

extra helicopter engines, you know.

He says, you just can't believe what we've stuffed into the place.

And I'm just wondering if Laird might be the guy that we could send out there with a message to Garcia.

No, Laird is a definite possibility.

I thought that he could— Well, we shouldn't send anybody— No, no, nothing until you finish the agreement.

Right.

The agreement is finished.

Laird goes out.

Laird wants to cap his career, and he says,

You know, he can be goddamn tough and stonewall it and say, look, I represent the military.

I know the Congress.

Bang.

That's it.

Now, either you come along here or we're going to go separate.

You know, we just might do it.

Well, we'll think about it.

But it's a distinct possibility.

I think Haig should go with him if that happens.

Oh, by all means.

By all means.

But we'll have to see where we... You've got to see what comes out of it.

Right, but I've thought of him as a possibility.

Yeah.

Okay, right.

NARA Description

On November 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 12:53 pm to 12:54 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 033-101 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 33-101

Date: November 18, 1972
Time: 12:53 pm - 12:54 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

       Second term reorganization
            -Elliot L. Richardson
                  -Melvin R. Laird's reaction to appointment

       Vietnam War
            -South Vietnam
                 -Amount of US aid
                       -Helicopter Engines
                 -Laird
                       -Possible mission to South Vietnam
                             -Message to Garcia [Nguyen Van Thieu]
                             -Timing
                                   -Settlement agreement
                             -Knowledge of Military And Congress
                             -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

Also recorded on November 18, 1972

033-093 12:20 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:20 pm and 12:21 pm.
033-094 12:21 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 12:21 pm to 12:22 pm.
033-095 12:22 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:22 pm and 12:25 pm.
033-096 12:25 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:25 pm.
033-097 12:29 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:29 pm.
033-098 12:32 PM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 12:32 pm to 12:44 pm.
033-099 12:45 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 12:45 pm to 12:49 pm.
033-100 12:49 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:49 pm and 12:53 pm.

All 50 conversations from November 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 033-101, November 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/033-101 (accessed October 12, 2026).