Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 38 › Conversation 038-136

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Henry E. Petersen

Wednesday, April 25, 1973 · 8:17 AM–8:25 AM ET · White House Telephone ·17 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  White House operatorConversation038-136 onTape 38StartWednesday, April 25, 1973 at 8:17 AMEndWednesday, April 25, 1973 at 8:25 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 038-136 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed the White House operator to relay a message to Assistant Attorney General Henry E. Petersen regarding a scheduled call. He requested that the operator inform Petersen of a temporary delay, noting that he would initiate the follow-up conversation in approximately 30 minutes. This communication served as a brief administrative coordination to manage his schedule while dealing with the Justice Department.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Operator, I have a call in for Mr. Peterson, but I have to step out for a little while, so tell him I'll call him back in about 30 minutes.
Yes, sir, I will.

NARA Description

On April 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:17 am and 8:25 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-136 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 38-136

Date: April 25, 1973
Time: Unknown between 8:17 am and 8:25 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See also Conversation No. 904-5]

     Message for Henry E. Petersen

Also recorded on April 25, 1973

  • 038-134 8:10 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:10 am and 8:17 am.
  • 904-001 8:10 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:10 am and 8:17 am.
  • 904-002 8:10 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:10 am and 8:17 am.
  • 038-135 8:17 AM · 13 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 8:17 am.
  • 904-003 8:17 AM · 12 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at 8:17 am.
  • 904-004 8:17 AM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:17 am and 8:25 am.
  • 904-005 8:17 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:17 am and 8:25 am.
  • 904-010 8:25 AM · 38 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:25 am and 8:50 am.

All 59 conversations from April 25, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 038-136, April 25, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-136 (accessed September 18, 2026).