Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 39 › Conversation 039-018
Nixon phone call with Cox on POWs and Ronald L. Ziegler
Friday, May 25, 1973 · 1:27 AM–1:39 AM ET · White House Telephone · 12 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon initiated a late-night telephone call to coordinate plans regarding an upcoming event honoring former prisoners of war (POWs). He sought assistance from an operator to connect with his daughter, Tricia Nixon Cox, and requested a subsequent call to Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. The conversation centered on the logistical arrangements for the POW reception and the management of executive communications.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On May 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:27 am and 1:39 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 039-018 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 39-18
Date: May 25, 1973
Time: Unknown between 1:27 am and 1:39 am
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
The President conferred with an unknown person [Tricia Nixon Cox ?].
[Begin conferral]
Unknown man
-Former prisoners of war [POWs] event
[End conferral]
Request for telephone call to Ronald L. ZieglerAlso recorded on May 25, 1973
- 039-012 12:17 AM · 18 sec — Tricia Nixon Cox, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:17 am and 12:57 am.
- 039-013 12:17 AM · 19 sec — Tricia Nixon Cox, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:17 am and 12:57 am.
- 039-144 12:17 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:17 am and 12:57 am.
- 039-014 12:57 AM · 1 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Paul W. Keyes talked on the telephone from 12:57 am to 12:58 am.
- 039-015 12:58 AM · 17 sec — Tricia Nixon Cox, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 12:58 am.
- 039-016 12:58 AM · 26 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 12:58 am to 1:25 am.
- 039-017 1:25 AM · 3 min — White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Paul W. Keyes talked on the telephone from 1:25 am to 1:27 am.
- 039-019 1:39 AM · 3 min — White House operator, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Ronald L. Ziegler, President Richard M. Nixon, and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone from 1:39 am to 1:43 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 039-018, May 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/039-018 (accessed October 12, 2026).