Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 42 › Conversation 042-055

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on China policy and Vietnam War

Friday, April 16, 1971 · 5:30 PM–5:32 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation042-055 on Tape 42 (tape position 01:04:36–01:06:24)StartFriday, April 16, 1971 at 5:30 PMEndFriday, April 16, 1971 at 5:32 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 042-055 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss managing journalist John Scali, who is pushing for a more aggressive public relations campaign regarding the administration's China policy and Vietnam withdrawal plans. Nixon firmly rejects Scali's suggestions for premature withdrawal announcements, insisting that any public pronouncements on Vietnam be delayed until after Kissinger's scheduled meetings in Paris and consultations with South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu. Kissinger confirms he is maintaining contact with Scali to keep him aligned with administration strategy without adopting his disruptive proposals.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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I have Dr. Kissinger calling.

Yeah, yeah.

On the line, sir.

I wanted to be sure that you had checked you've covered Skelly.

Oh, yes.

Yeah, you've covered him.

Fine.

I have covered him.

He's a little restive at it, but I've given him a view of the background, a little of the background, and there's no problem.

Yeah, yeah.

What I meant is, what is he restive about?

You mean he wants to do more or say more or something?

Yeah, you know, he wants to start a big campaign, but...

uh but i think there's such a big campaign going on that it is no no no no we can't push we don't want to push it i mean what's he want to campaign about henry that's my i mean you agree what you had done on china policy and we're getting that out anyway well maybe he's maybe he feels he doesn't he doesn't feel we're getting it out well enough is that his point but he and and what a big move it is but that will rattle the chinese

and then he's still on a withdrawal kick announcing we're pulling out a division a month but that runs counter to first of all there aren't that many divisions there and secondly that runs counter to the other scheme no no no no we don't say anything more about that well he's sorry let him suggest him but we don't no i told him i i spent about 10 minutes a day with him just to give him the sense that he belongs to the community right that's right well that's right and also he'll have some ideas that we'll pick up too but

that's right we can't go on that kick for the reason that it's uh i don't want to say anything more about withdrawal at this point i think as soon as we get as soon as you have your meeting in paris then we'll go out to that exactly and we'll go on to the meeting with uh and we don't do it now it just will stir up again go on with the meeting with two and so forth and so on that's the way to do it okay right mr president

NARA Description

On April 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 5:30 pm to 5:32 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 042-055 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 42-55

Date: April 16, 1971
Time: 5:30 pm - 5:32 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Henry A. Kissinger talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 250-23]

     President's People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative
           -John A. Scali
                 -Briefing from Kissinger
                 -Views
                 -Administration's policy
                 -Views on Vietnam withdrawal

     Vietnam
          -Withdrawal
          -Gen. Charles A.J.M. De Gaulle
          -Kissinger's Meeting in Paris
          -Nguyen Van Thieu

Also recorded on April 16, 1971

250-023 5:30 PM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:30 pm to 5:32 pm.
250-024 5:32 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:32 pm and 5:33 pm.
042-056 5:33 PM · 23 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 5:33 pm to 5:34 pm.
250-025 5:33 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:33 pm to 5:34 pm.
250-026 5:34 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
250-027 5:34 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
250-028 5:34 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
250-029 5:34 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.

All 51 conversations from April 16, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 042-055, April 16, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/042-055 (accessed October 3, 2026).