Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 42 › Conversation 042-046

Nixon phone call with Rumsfeld on Charles Rangel and Drug trafficking

Thursday, April 15, 1971 · 3:45 PM–3:48 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rumsfeld, Donald H.Conversation042-046 on Tape 42 (tape position 00:52:41–00:54:55)StartThursday, April 15, 1971 at 3:45 PMEndThursday, April 15, 1971 at 3:48 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 042-046 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs Donald Rumsfeld to contact Congressman Charles Rangel before Rumsfeld’s upcoming European trip to demonstrate the administration's commitment to addressing the international drug trade. Nixon instructs Rumsfeld to frame the trip—which includes attendance at the World Health Conference—as a direct response to Rangel’s concerns, tasking the congressman with providing any relevant intelligence or suggestions for the mission. Furthermore, Rumsfeld briefs the President on the successful coordination of their strategy with Henry Kissinger.

Audio

Download MP3 · 1.5 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
Yes, sir.
Don, I wonder if you would call that fellow from Central Harlem, you remember the big guy, what's his name, that was at the meeting?
Remember the black congressman?
Oh, yes, sir, right.
What was his name?
There was Rangel and Perrin Mitchell.
Rangel, Rangel, great big guy, big good-looking guy.
Yes, sir.
And tell him that you are leaving tomorrow with Mr. Finch for Europe.
and that the president asked you to call him to tell him that I've given you as a specific assignment to track down everything you can in these trench shipment places because and that I particularly remarked that I wanted his concern followed up and if he has any information or anything that he and he'd like for you to look into that I want him to give it to you
See my point?
Yes, sir.
That's very good.
And just so he knows, tell him you're going to the World Health Conference, but that I have asked you to circle and that you can say that there will be six countries or whatever they are where you have this problem and that I intend to take very strong action.
You're not going to Turkey because, say, we're handling that in another way, which you'll understand, where we have to handle that through.
military and other very good hold offs but say that that's a good idea you're going to go here and that the president wants to and and tell him that you'll be glad to report i've asked you to report to him when you return home but in the meantime if he's got any suggestions based on his own travels or his own information that what he'd like for you to look into why i appreciate it if he'd pass it on to you fair enough good yes sir okay
But we had a good visit with Henry, and along the lines you discussed, and we're all set.
Good.
Thank you, sir.

NARA Description

On April 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Donald H. Rumsfeld talked on the telephone from 3:45 pm to 3:48 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 042-046 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 42-46

Date: April 15, 1971
Time: 3:45 pm - 3:48 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Donald H. Rumsfeld.

[See Conversation No. 249-13]

     Rumsfeld's forthcoming call to Charles B. Rangel
         -Parren J. Mitchell
         -Rumsfeld's trip to Europe
               -Robert H. Finch
               -Drug problems
               -World Health Conference
               -Turkey
               -Report

******************************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 07/24/2018.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[042-046-w001]
[Duration: 30s]

       Sammy Davis, Jr's message for President
            -President's visit to the Copa Cabana
                   -First sitting Vice President to visit club
            -Davis’s gratitude for visit
            -Davis's father and brother

******************************************************************************

     Rumsfeld’s meeting with Henry A. Kissinger

Also recorded on April 15, 1971

  • 042-045 3:44 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:44 pm.
  • 249-012 3:44 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:44 pm.
  • 249-013 3:45 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Donald H. Rumsfeld met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:45 pm to 3:48 pm.
  • 042-047 3:48 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:48 pm and 4:31 pm.
  • 249-014 3:48 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:48 pm and 4:05 pm.
  • 249-015 3:48 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:48 pm and 4:05 pm.
  • 249-016 4:05 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:05 pm to 4:32 pm.
  • 249-017 4:05 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:05 pm and 4:31 pm.

All 71 conversations from April 15, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 042-046, April 15, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/042-046 (accessed October 3, 2026).