Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 35 › Conversation 035-010

Nixon phone call with Acker on Richard M. Helms and CIA

Wednesday, December 27, 1972 · 10:48 AM–10:53 AM ET · White House Telephone · 47 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; Acker, Marjorie P.Conversation035-010 on Tape 35StartWednesday, December 27, 1972 at 10:48 AMEndWednesday, December 27, 1972 at 10:53 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 035-010 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with a White House operator and staff member Marjorie P. Acker to arrange a secure telephone call with CIA Director Richard M. Helms. The President emphasized strict security protocols, specifying that he only wished to speak with Helms if the communication line was secure and free from risks associated with the Director’s current travel status. The conversation concluded with the President instructing the operator to verify Helms's location and availability before initiating any contact.

Audio

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NARA Description

On December 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Marjorie P. Acker talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:48 am and 10:53 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 035-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 35-10

Date: December 27, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:48 am and 10:53 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 828-10]

       Request for a call to Richard M. Helms

Majorie P. Acker entered at an unknown time after 10:48 am.

       The President’s schedule
            -White House barber

Acker left at an unknown time before 10:53 am.

       Request for a call to Helms
            -Location
            -Security of lines
            -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
                                               -15-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                          Conversation No. 35-10 (cont’d)

             -Return call

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Operator, would you check to see if Mr. Helms is...

I know he's out of the city, but would you check to see...

I know he's out of the city, but if he's out of the country, I don't want to talk to him on an open line, but if he's on a line...

that he can be talked to, I will talk to him, okay?

And it was who, sir?

The director, Helm, CIA.

Oh, yes, sir.

And just call me back if he's out of the city.

I need to know.

I mean, if he can't be talked to by phone, it's perfectly all right, but I just want to know.

All right.

Thanks, sir.

Also recorded on December 27, 1972

828-006 10:12 AM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:44 am.
828-008 10:44 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:44 am to 10:48 am.
828-009 10:48 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:48 am and 10:53 am.
828-010 10:48 AM · 44 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Marjorie P. Acker met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:48 am and 10:53 am.
828-011 10:48 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:48 am and 10:53 am.
035-011 10:53 AM · 19 sec — the White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 10:53 am.
828-012 10:53 AM · 18 sec — the White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at 10:53 am.
828-013 11:01 AM · 59 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Peter J. Brennan, Manolo Sanchez, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:01 am to 12:01 pm.

All 29 conversations from December 27, 1972 →

Nixon phone call with Morgan on Richard Helms and Luis Echeverría June 20, 1972 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Haig on Watergate and Central Intelligence Agency May 12, 1973 · 17 min
Nixon phone call with Haig on Pentagon Papers and Richard Helms August 16, 1972 · 7 min
Nixon, Helms & Scowcroft on Iran and Oil and Energy Policy February 14, 1973 · 35 min
Nixon phone call with Helms on Iran and Iranian oil January 25, 1973 · 4 min
Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Watergate and Wiretapping May 22, 1973 · 2 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 035-010, December 27, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/035-010 (accessed November 3, 2026).