Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 38 › Conversation 038-097

Nixon phone call with Agnew on Soviet Jewry and Foreign policy

Wednesday, April 18, 1973 · 12:20 PM–12:21 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Agnew, Spiro T. (Vice President)Conversation038-097 on Tape 38StartWednesday, April 18, 1973 at 12:20 PMEndWednesday, April 18, 1973 at 12:21 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 038-097 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Vice President Agnew discussed a contentious meeting with congressional leaders regarding Soviet Jewry and its impact on U.S.-Soviet relations. Agnew expressed shock at the confrontational stance taken by Senators Jackson, Ribicoff, and Javits, arguing that linking Jewish emigration to arms control policy was an unreasonable burden. They collectively agreed that such tactics threatened foreign policy, and Agnew offered to publicly champion the administration’s position should the President choose to take the issue to the American people.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Nope.
Mr. President?
Hi.
I don't want to... That's all right.
I know you've got to catch a plane.
I wanted to say this to you.
I did not enter that discussion because I didn't think it would be at all productive, but I was pretty shocked about the whole stance those people took.
Particularly, well, our guys were all right, but my God, the attitude of Jackson and of
Rivikov and Javits was unbelievable, particularly after I had laid it out there.
They're taking in their hands, and that's what you ought to tell them.
These Jewish people here, by God, if they want to make America's whole foreign policy and disarmament a hostage to Jewish immigration to the Soviet Union,
That's a terrible burden for them to take.
That's a terrible burden.
What I wanted to say to you is that I feel so strongly about this.
I think that you may have to take it ultimately to the American people and have other issues.
And if you decide to do that, I will be glad to carry it through this political consideration tonight.
Sure.
To hell with the political consideration.
I think the American people, I mean, here are some of the Jews who picket and raise hell, but the American people are not going to...
Let them destroy our foreign policy.
Absolutely.
Never.
But please call on me if you want to take it.
All right.
When we're ready.
All right.
We're ready.
Have a good trip.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On April 18, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew talked on the telephone from 12:20 pm to 12:21 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-097 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 38-97

Date: April 18, 1973
Time: 12:20 pm - 12:21 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Spiro T. Agnew.

[See also Conversation No. 900-10]

     Agnew’s Travel

     Bi-partisan Congressional leaders meeting on Soviet Jewry
           -Agnew’s role
           -Abraham A. Ribicoff, Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson and Jacob K. Javits

     -Effect on US relations with Soviet Union
           Arms control

     -Public relations
           Agnew’s role
           American Jews

Also recorded on April 18, 1973

  • 900-029 12:11 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:11 pm to 12:12 pm.
  • 900-009 12:12 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John A. Volpe, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:12 pm to 12:20 pm.
  • 038-096 12:20 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:20 pm.
  • 900-010 12:20 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:20 pm to 12:21 pm.
  • 900-011 12:22 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:22 pm to 12:25 pm.
  • 900-012 12:25 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:25 pm to 12:33 pm.
  • 038-098 12:33 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:33 pm and 12:48 pm.
  • 900-013 12:33 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Rainer Barzel, Erich Feldweg, White House photographer, and members of the press met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:33 pm and 12:48 pm.

All 48 conversations from April 18, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 038-097, April 18, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-097 (accessed October 5, 2026).